If You're My Girl
by Permanent Rose
Summary: The first time Jane saw Maura, she was naked. High School AU
1. Chapter I

_A/N: __I just got this idea in my head and had to write it out. Just wanted to see if I got any interest in this before I continued - and I know this isn't the only high school AU out there, but I was curious to explore these two in another element, so I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think :]_

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The first time Jane saw Maura, she was naked.

Jane dreaded having PE first period, despite the fact that she never bothered to tame her wild hair, and makeup was a foreign concept to the fourteen-year-old tomboy. It was still a drag to start out the day covered in a layer of sweat. Of course, with the stifling heat of August seeping in through the walls of the unairconditioned school, Jane realized this fate was inevitable. As she neared the gym, the heavy odor of old sweat hung in the air, mixing with the strong scent cleaning products, creating a sharp scent that took Jane's nose a moment to adjust to.

It was strangely silent as she entered the locker room, and she noticed only one other girl changing among the rows of empty lockers. She had long honey-colored hair and a lean build, but Jane hardly noticed these attributes as her eyes landed straight on the girl's generous breasts, fully exposed as she changed into her PE uniform. Jane managed to tug her eyes away, feeling embarrassed, especially as her eyes darted down to her own flat chest. She had never seen another girl (or perhaps woman was the better term, she decided as her eyes widened just a bit more) completely in the nude. Sure, she'd seen those anatomical drawings in health class, a glimpse of a boob here and there on television, and in the limited privacy of her home, she'd seen her mother's body only very briefly. And she was pretty sure that didn't count.

"Hello," the girl greeted her cheerfully, unembarrassed by her lack of clothing, and Jane's cheeks only flushed deeper. She tried to find an appropriate place to keep her eyes as the girl tugged away her panties as well. Jane had spent her middle school years changing in the bathroom stalls, and never had she witnessed a girl so confident and unashamed of her body. The girl continued to speak, now completely naked. "I'm glad to see someone else here. I was beginning to think I misread my schedule, and there wasn't a PE class this hour."

"Nope, uh," Jane coughed, her voice stuck in her throat. She allowed herself one last glance at the girl's chest before she locked her gaze on her eyes. "You've got the right class. We just must be early."The girl rummaged in her bag, pulling out a pale pink sports bra and a matching pair of underwear. Once again, Jane was staring, embarrassed by her intrigue, but not quite enough to overcome her blooming curiosity.

"Aren't you going to change?" the girl asked, her eyes landing on Jane's bewildered face.

Jane quickly nodded, pulling her PE shorts out of her bag. "Do you really change your underpants for gym class?" Jane blurted out, incredulously, as the girl tugged the pink panties over her thighs. Jane wished she could remember what underwear she had put on this morning, though she knew they were inevitably old and faded.

"Of course," she answered. "I don't want to sweat on my good clothes." Jane didn't know that "good clothes" applied to undergarments as well. She wore the same sports bra regardless of the occasion.

While the girl (finally) tugged on her bra and searched for her shirt, Jane quickly changed her shorts, covering whatever unfortunate pair of underwear she was wearing before even she could catch a glimpse of them. She was glad she was wearing a tank as well, and she changed her shirt just as hurriedly, completely in her PE attire as the blonde girl finally pulled on her shorts.

"Well, looks like it's just us," Jane muttered, slipping a socked foot into her ratty tennies as the girl tied her brand new pair of nikes.

"I'm Maura, by the way," the girl finally introduced herself, smiling at Jane. Jane found herself finally at ease as she looked at Maura in her fully clothed state.

"Jane," Jane answered a bit gruffly. "You new here? I feel like I've never seen you before."

Maura nodded. "I used to attend Willard Academy."

"Oh that fancy girls' school?" Jane had only ever heard of it.

"Yes. Well, used to be," Maura explained, looking a bit wistful. "We recently lost private funding so it is no longer a functioning facility."

"Well, welcome to public school," Jane laughed a little darkly, though she was slightly impressed, a little intimated and mostly annoyed as she realized what type of girl Maura was.

"I'll only be here briefly. I'm waiting for a spot to open up at _Collège Stanislas de Paris—_it's a boarding school in France," she further added in a nonchalant manner.

Yep, she was definitely _that _kind of girl, and Jane fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Come on. We're gonna be late."

They entered the gym, dust motes floating down from windows. There were about six boys already in the gym, a few shooting baskets, a few talking among themselves, and a couple standing around tensely as they waited for the class to begin. "So we're the only girls?" Maura whispered, Jane's neck hair prickling as Maura's breath washed over her cheek.

"Would appear so," Jane stated. "Not a bad thing though. Girls get all prissy and annoying during gym class—no offense," Jane quickly added. "Boys are more fun to compete with." A devilish grin crossed her face.

"I can be quite competitive," Maura stated, a bit indignant. Jane shrugged. Maura looked too delicate to get her hands dirty.

"Well, well, well. If it ain't Roly-Poly Rizzoli." Jane jerked around, entering a state of defense immediately. She groaned as her eyes fell on Joey Grant. Jane had been a little chubbier in her younger years, and Grant had been quick to adopt the demeaning nickname for her. Even though Jane had sprouted quickly and developed a lean, athletic figure, Grant had never dropped the nickname.

"Isn't," Maura spoke before Jane could come up with a retort. "'Ain't' is not a word recognized in the proper usage of the English language, though it did enter the vulgate in the early 1700s and has been commonly used in many dialects ever since."

Grant squinted at Maura, his shoes squeaking against the waxed floor, taken aback for a moment. "What are you, a walking dictionary?"

"Oh, I hardly have the vast informati-"

Jane cut her off. "Just shut up, Grant. At least she has a brain."

This earned a few laughs from the other boys who had gravitated toward the scene of the debate. Grant was about to come back with a retort of his own when an middle aged man approached the class, a clipboard in hand and a whistle around his neck. As he took role, Maura gave Jane an appreciative smile, and Jane hesitantly smiled in return, not sure why she had been so quick to defend the girl. Jane was tough and competitive, and she didn't have many friends, but she realized she had inadvertently formed an alliance.

XXX

"Frost! There you are." Jane felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over her as she spotted her tall, lanky friend. "Where do you want to sit?" she asked, glancing around the crowded cafeteria, scanning for an empty pocket.

Her stomach flopped a little, the first day of high school nerves fully settling in. Finding a lunch table always stemmed down to survival of the fittest.

"We could sit with the basketball team," Frost suggested, a bit hopefully. She knew he planned to try out for the high school team.

"Nah," Jane muttered, knowing that Frost would be quickly swept up into their conversation, leaving Jane to eat her lunch in silence. Jane had never done well in groups.

She knew she'd need to find a place quickly, or else they would be defaulted to the basketball table. She felt yet another pang of relief as her eyes fell on Maura, sitting at the edge of the cafeteria at her own table, content with her nose buried in a large book. "Over here," she motioned to Frost, and he followed. She coughed a little, stopping in front of Maura. "Mind if we sit here?"

Maura looked up from her book, a little startled, but she quickly composed herself. "No, of course not." She closed her book, and Jane read the title, Dante's _Inferno._

"Frost, Maura. Maura, Frost," Jane introduced the two, pulling out a chair beside Maura."Already have homework?" she asked as she arranged her tray in front of her, chewing on a greasy fry as Maura took a spoonful of an unidentified substance in a tupperware container.

"Oh, no. I'm merely reading for pleasure," Maura informed her, pushing her book gently out of the way so she wouldn't spill any food on it.

Frost let out a whistle. "Pleasure? That looks like some heavy reading to me."

"I enjoy it," Maura assured him. "My workload this semester is lighter than I'm used to in the past, so I should have more time to read for enjoyment."

"She went to Willard," Jane informed Frost with an inconspicuous eye roll. She turned back to Maura. "What's your schedule like?" she asked Maura. "Mind if I see?"

"Not at all," Maura reached into her bag and pulled out a pink folder, handing Jane her crisp schedule. Jane thought of her own schedule, crumpled and jammed into the bottom of her pocket, a splash of orange juice on it from breakfast.

"AP Calculus, AP Biology, AP Anatomy," she listed off, and then she stopped herself. "Is there anything on here that's _not _AP?" Frost had stopped chewing, and Jane stared at Maura incredulously.

"Well, PE isn't." Maura thought for a moment. "And I'm almost certain my government class is only honors weight."

"You call that a light workload?" Frost sputtered, and Maura blushed.

"AP is just a title," she explained, suddenly look a little bashful. "I just love to learn."

"Well I'd say," Jane scoffed, taking a bit of slightly undercooked pizza. "What's that you're eating anyway?" Her curiosity got the best of her as she glanced over at her dish, which looked like a salad but not quite a salad.

"Tabbouleh—it's traditional middle eastern dish in which often people enjoy dipping pita bread, but I like it on its own," she explained, taking another bite.

Maura was certainly the most bizarre, yet most intriguing person Jane had ever come across. She had certainly misjudged her this morning when she had written her off as merely a snobbish rich girl.

"So you blackmailing Jane to be friendly to you or something?" Frost joked, digging his spork into his fruit cup.

"Excuse me?" Maura asked, her gaze falling on Jane, who looked especially pissed as she tore off another piece of pizza with her teeth.

"Well, she's usually too busy judging all the girls and competing with all the guys to bother making friends with them," Frost chuckled.

"Can it, Frost," Jane hissed, viciously severing a fry with her teeth.

"Would you like to tell her about yourself then?" Frost laughed again. He was unaffected by her sour nature, immune to her grizzly words. Jane only grumbled, chomping on another fry.

"So what makes you different, Frost?" Maura asked, seeming quite intrigued by their relationship.

"My dazzling looks and my charming smile." Frost cockily raised an eyebrow, and Jane promptly reached over to give him a good shove in the arm.

"Oh, you wish," Jane snorted. She addressed Maura instead. "Frost moved here last year, guess I just kinda took the poor thing under my wing."

"Oh, _you _wish," Frost scoffed. "More like I took _you _under my wing. I have a lot of places I could be sitting right now, but I chose to enjoy your _lovely _company," he reminded her, dragging her in for a noogie.

Jane swatted his arms away, grumbling as he laughed. Maura watched the pair in fascination. "It seems like you're making a habit of befriending the new kid," she stated. "I don't think you're as callous as Frost makes you out to be."

"Nah," Jane muttered, sitting up a little straighter as she saved what she had left of her reputation. "It's just because I haven't had as much time to get sick of you yet. Just wait for it."

"Yeah, she really is just a big softie," Frost whispered loudly in Maura's direction. Jane punched him again.

Frost's (fake) howling subsided as Jane peaked over at Maura, who smiled as soon as she felt Jane's eyes on her, and Jane had to wonder why she didn't deny it when Maura had called her a friend.

XXX

Jane's hair was frizzing more than usual in the suffocating heat as she left school that afternoon. As usual, she headed down the Boston police station, just a few blocks away from the school. Her mother had started working at the station coffee shop about five years ago when her father's plumbing business had hit a rough patch, and Jane and her brothers had grown accustomed to coming here after school was over to wait for their mother's shift to end.

Even though Jane was old enough to be home on her own now, she still preferred to come down to the station. The officer at the front desk smiled at her as she entered the refreshing airconditioned interior, waving her back.

The coffee shop was usually empty this time of day. Her mother had no customers, and instead, Jane found her laughing with Detective Korsak. As he caught sight of Jane, he coughed a little, straitening himself. "How about that coffee?" he reminded Angela, who promptly disappeared to the back to fix his drink.

"Afternoon, Detective," Jane greeted him, sitting down on one of the barstools.

"Good afternoon youself, Jane," he greeted in return, smiling at the fourteen-year-old, whom he had grown quite fond of over the years.

"Got any interesting cases?" Jane asked eagerly. Jane had made it known that she aspired to become a detective herself, and after years of overhearing the officers talk of the gruesome, yet fascinating life of fighting crime over coffee, Jane had absorbed every detail and could not wait until she was old enough to make a career out of it.

"You know I'm not supposed to talk about my cases," Korsak reminded her, but he lowered his voice and added, "Though I will say we did found a body in the harbor this morning a suspicious head injury, and I smell a homicide. But you didn't hear anything from me," he winked at her.

"Can't you just make me your intern?" Jane begged, wanting nothing more than to scope out the body for herself.

"Sure, you wanna do my paperwork?" Korsak laughed, "Because that's where I'm headed now." As if on cue, Angela emerged from the back with a steaming cup of coffee.

"On the house," she winked ever so slightly as she handed Korsak his beverage. He laughed a little, and Jane didn't miss the blush that rose to his cheeks.

"Ma, you gotta stop flirting with him," Jane muttered once he was out of sight.

"Oh, hush, a little harmless flirting never did any harm," Angela defended, pulling out a tray of broken cookies and pushing it toward Jane.

She took half a snickerdoodle. "Ma, you're a married woman."

"_Harmless_, Jane," she emphasized. "Anyway, how was your first day of school?" She quickly changed the subject, rinsing a frayed rag and wiping down the countertop.

Jane shrugged. "S'okay, I guess."

"That's not very convincing," her mother sighed. "And I cannot believe you went to school with your hair like that—and I thought you were going to wear that new shirt I bought you." Instead, Jane was wearing her favorite Red Sox t-shirt.

"You know my hair has a mind of its own," Jane defended. "And Ma, I told you when you gave it to me, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing pink."

Angela rolled her eyes. "God forbid you actually act like a girl. It's like I have three sons."

"From my baby pictures, it sure seems like you got your share of bows and frills then," Jane reminded her, wrinkling her nose at just the thought.

Before her mother could lament any further, Jane's two younger brother's clamored into the station, and Angela let out a howl as Tommy emerged into sight. "Thomas Anthony Rizzoli, what in heavens name happened to your face?"

"I fell," Tommy answered, while Frankie spoke at the same time, "He got into a fight."

"Frankie!" The ten-year-old shouted at his brother, defiantly crossing his arms across his chest.

"A fight?" Angela shrieked, stomping out from behind the counter. Tommy cowered as she approached him. "On your first day of school?"

"Alex Grant made me feel stupid for being so short," he grumbled, and Jane knew that being the shortest kid in his class was tough on him. Even many of the girls had surpassed the fifth grader in height. "And then he made fun of my new glasses, so I showed him," Tommy announced, a bit proudly, rubbing his right fist.

"Speaking of which, where _are_ your glasses, Tommy?" Angela raised an eyebrow as Tommy looked up sheepishly at her.

"In my bag. I'm pretty sure that doctor was wrong. I don't need 'em," he assured her. Angela sighed, knowing she'd have to fight this battle later.

Jane hopped down from the stool. "Those Grant boys are all assholes," she spat, getting a better look a her brother's injured face. "If _you_ were the one to show him, then I'd hate to see what his face looks like right now."

"Language, Jane!" her mother scolded, "And don't encourage him." Though her warning had come to late as Tommy's expression became considerably smugger. Angela gripped Tommy's face, assessing the damage. "Let me go get you some ice for that lip."

Once Angela disappeared into the back, Tommy grinned wolfishly up at Jane. "Oh, don't think you're gonna get away with this, mister," she warned, but couldn't completely bite back her own grin. "Next time, knee him straight in the balls," she added.

"Jane!" Frankie was the one to scold her this time.

"Oh, hush." Jane climbed back onto the stool, swiveling around with the tray of cookies, which her brothers promptly attacked. "If you had a Grant in your year, you wouldn't be such a goody two shoes," Jane advised him.

"Jane, are you encouraging bad behavior?" Angela eyed her daughter as she handed Tommy a baggy of ice wrapped up in a paper towel.

"No, ma'am. I'm counseling them with the guidance of scripture. Thou shalt not maul the face of Alex Grant," she mocked, and the boys howled with laughter, and Angela smacked Jane on the side of the head.

"Come on," their mother sighed. "My shift is almost over. Get your bags, and we'll head home."


	2. Chapter II

"Over here, Miss Isles." Maura sharply turned her head as she heard her name, her eyes falling on the familiar black car. A tall, well groomed man stepped out from the driver's seat, taking her bag from her and placing it in the trunk. He walked around to the side of the car, opening the door for Maura before she could do the task herself.

"Thank you, Jeremy," she smiled, her body temperature immediately cooling as she entered the interior of the car. She pulled her long hair away from her sweaty neck, relaxing against the leather seats. Jeremy resumed his spot in the driver's seat, pulling away from the school.

Jeremy was the Isles' butler and had been for a long as Maura could remember. He was a kind man, always polite and courteous, and though he was not a loquacious man, he was thoughtful and attentive when it mattered.

"How was your first day?" Jeremy asked, making eye contact with the girl for a moment in the rearview mirror.

Maura was appreciative of the simple question, certain that it was more interest than she would get from either of her parents. "It went well," she stated. "I believe I will enjoy many of my classes, though the environment quite differs from that of Willard," she informed him with an appropriate chuckle. She saw the corners of Jeremy's eyes wrinkle as he smiled dutifully as well. "I met a girl," she found herself adding, unable to suppress a tiny smile from tugging at her lips as she thought about Jane. "I think that perhaps we'll be friends," she dared to speculate, a strange, warm feeling pooling in her stomach at just the mere thought.

Jeremy smiled again, and though Maura could only see his eyes, she could tell this one was genuine. "I'm glad it went well, Miss Isles."

They did not speak for the remainder of the car ride home, and Maura was more appreciative of the silence than she had anticipated. The endless noise and clatter surrounding the high school atmosphere, along with the forced smiles and socialization had exhausted Maura, and she was glad to have a moment to herself to collect her thoughts.

And those thoughts mostly contained Jane. She was not at all the kind of girl Maura would have ever expected she'd warm up to. She was tough, a little bitter, almost cruelly sarcastic, but Maura had sensed the most genuineness radiating off her than anyone else she had encountered today. Of course, Maura realized quickly, even without the reassurance from Frost, that Jane's prickly exterior was somewhat of a front, but the fact that she had not pushed Maura away immediately like she predicted she did with most people in her life spoke volumes to Maura, and she hoped her desperateness to feel a sense of belonging was not skewing the vibes she got from Jane.

Maura had been so tangled in her thoughts that she was surprised when they pulled into driveway so quickly. The Isles' home (or perhaps mansion would have been the better term) was a small distance away from the city, tucked away down a secluded road with a few other homes that rivaled its size.

Jeremy opened the door for her once again, and the influx of heat suffocated Maura for a moment. Once they were inside, he handed Maura her bag, preparing to excuse himself, but Maura stopped him momentarily. "Will my mother be home for dinner?" she asked, trying to keep her tone nonchalant, but she could not mask the hint of hope that lined her voice.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Isles," Jeremy spoke regretfully. Maura did her best to keep her face from falling. "She's working late at her studio tonight."

Maura's mother was an artist, and a quite successful one at that. She had a high end studio in the city where she worked late into the evening more often than not. Maura was certain she could count the nights she'd been home for dinner, and she had to wonder why she bothered to hope anymore.

"Your father should be home in an hour or so, I believe," Jeremy further added, and Maura smiled appreciatively, giving him a nod of dismissal.

Even if her father did come home early, she knew he'd be too buried in his work for his presence at home to even be noticeable. He worked as a biology professor at Boston Cambridge University, completely devoted to his job and research. Her parents' jobs were an oddity considering their status, and their lavish lifestyle could only be attributed to the large sum of money her mother had inherited upon her father's death.

She padded up the spiraling staircase that adorned the foyer of their home, entering her immaculately organized room. After placing her bag on her bed, she immediately went to check on Bass, her African spurred tortoise, whom Maura had received on her tenth birthday when her father had promised her a pet. Prior to her birthday, she had watched a documentary on the History Channel about tortoises and learned that they could be pets, and the idea of owning such a fascinating creature rather than a typical dog, cat, or small rodent greatly appealed to Maura.

She smiled at the tortoise, who was now about the size of a soccer ball, a considerable difference to the tennis ball sized reptile she had received four years ago. She unlocked his cage, allowing him access to the hardwood floor of her bedroom. He enjoyed slowly dragging his body across the room, and he was usually good about eliminating his waste within the confines of his cage.

She watched him for a little while before reaching for bag, digging out her pile of homework. Though she had been quite truthful when she had informed Frost that her workload was lighter, that did not mean that she did not still have a great deal of busy work to complete, and Maura was not one to procrastinate.

She worked for a few hours before she heard a gentle knock on her door. It was Jeremy, informing her that dinner was ready. Jeremy cooked all the meals for the Isles' family. He also cleaned their home, scheduled events, and oversaw the estate. In fact, the only task he had not done himself was raise Maura, who had been cared for by a nanny until she was ten, at which age Jeremy himself had taken over the task of delivering Maura to any extracurricular activity or event she needed to be at.

On their way downstairs, she passed her father's study, finding him buried in his work, and she knew he would not be joining her for dinner. She sighed, the long mahogany dining table feeling especially empty tonight as she took her seat at the end. Jeremy brought her a plate of fettuccine Alfredo pasta, her favorite dish. "You remembered," she smiled appreciatively up at him, swallowing the tears that suddenly filled her throat.

"Of course, Miss Isles," he smiled briefly before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Maura ate in silence, a little too quickly as she reasoned she could not cry as long as she was chewing. After she finished eating, she intended to return to her room, but she lingered in the entrance of her father's study, watching him tap the end of his pen against the desk as he buried himself deep in thought. It took him a full five minutes to notice her, and Maura was not sure what kept her transfixed there for so long.

"Maura, sweetheart." The pet named sounded almost forced and unnatural as it left his lips. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes, of course," she quickly answered. "I just had dinner, and I thought I'd stop by because I hadn't seen you all day."

He nodded but made no attempt to continue the conversation. Maura held her breath, waiting for him to at least ask how her first day had gone, but his eyes darted back to his laptop, and Maura bit her lip hard as she left, once again escaping the notice of her father.

Maura could not remember not knowing that she had been adopted. It was a fact her parents had reinforced when she was young, not in a cruel or unloving manner, but in a way that they were certain not to keep this crucial information from her. However, she had no knowledge of her birth parents; her mother had gently let her know that it had been a closed adoption. It did Maura little good to think about the parents who had given her up, though she had more than once fabricated a story where they had loved her desperately and had been forced by unknown circumstances to give her a better life. It made the fact that her adoptive parents did not coddle her in any manner more bearable – she knew they loved her, but she had never felt like she was fully theirs.

She entered her room, plopping back down on the bed, watching Bass for a moment. He chomped on a lettuce leaf, plucked from a plate of fresh vegetables – Jeremy must have delivered it when she was eating. She smiled at her tortoise, glad for his companionship, to say the least. She then thought of Jane again, and felt just a little bit better as she resumed her homework.

XXX

When Maura arrived to the gym the following morning, Jane was already there, fully dressed and leaning up against the lockers.

"You're early today," Maura noticed, and Jane merely grunted in return, tracing circles with the toe of her tennis shoe against the concrete floor.

"How are you?" Maura attempted to keep the conversation going, reaching into her bag for her change of clothes.

"Pretty good. Tired." It was the universal answer of the high school student. "You?"

"I'm well," she answered. "A bit exhausted myself." She had not slept well the previous night, tossing and turning as she found herself overanalyzing every word she had said to Jane, worried that she was approaching concept of friendship in the wrong manner. And of course, she became even more frustrated when she could _not _stop thinking about it and even more cross when she could not fathom why it even mattered so much to her.

She tugged off her shirt and reached for her bra, feeling much more self-conscious today as she felt Jane's eyes dart to her bare skin and then immediately turn away. "You may go out to the gym in you'd like, and I'll meet you there," Maura suggested politely, feeling as if Jane were waiting for her. The assumption automatically made her heart rate quicken.

"Nah, I'll wait," Jane muttered as Maura quickly switched bras. Maura's heart fluttered. "Just because it will prolong the moment that I have to see Grant's face," she added in a hurry. Maura's face noticeably fell, but she quickly composed herself.

"When did this deep-seated rivalry with you and Joseph begin?" she asked curiously, remembering his name from when the coach had taken role yesterday.

"Second grade. Our schools merged together, and he was in my class. It took me a while to grow out of my, uh, baby fat." Maura noticed that Jane's dark cheeks became a little rosy from embarrassment. "So yeah, Grant chose the nickname Roly-Poly Rizzoli for me pretty fast, and he just never stopped being a jackass, even when I did finally grow out of it."

"Have you ever considered the possibility that he has a crush on you?" Maura mused thoughtfully, tossing her underwear aside and tugging on a fresh pair.

"Wha – hell no!" Jane automatically defended, and once again, Maura felt her eyes land on her for a brief second before she turned away once again. "That's just ridiculous," she huffed.

"It's actually not," Maura contradicted. "It could very well be the reason for his persistent bullying. He appears quite immature, and his continuous teasing may be his coping mechanism because he has still not developed maturity to handle his feelings for you in an appropriate or healthy manner. Have you noticed an increased pupillary response whenever you are around him?"

"Have I noticed a _what_?" Jane seemed quite irritated, and Maura wondered if she had taken this too far.

"His pupils widening – it's a sign of attraction." Jane jerked her head away so fast that Maura was certain she had crossed over a line.

"You almost ready?" she asked, itching toward the door. Maura quickly tied her shoes, wanting to ask Jane if she were angry with her, but knowing that she could not ask this simple question without fumbling considerably over her words.

"You watch for Grant's pupils widening," Jane proposed as she held the door open for Maura, offering her a tiny reassuring smile. "I'll be too busy punching him in the face."

XXX

Maura found Frost sitting at the same table she had found yesterday, and he grinned widely at her she sat down opposite of him. "How's it going?" he asked after he finished chewing.

"Pretty well," Maura answered, taking out her own lunch. An awkward silence passed between the two, and Maura wondered where Jane was.

"So, Frost – I assume that's not your real name. Perhaps a last name or a nickname..." she attempted to reboot the conversation, and she was always intent on knowing a person's proper name.

"Last name," he confirmed. "My full name is Barry Frost," he wrinkled his nose a little. "Yeah, pretty bad, huh? Jane says it sounds like the name of some kind of cupcake – so she's always calling me stuff like 'Cupcake' or 'Frosting' or 'Strawberry Shortcake.' I'll pretty much respond to anything at this point," he laughed, and Maura deduced that these kind of nicknames were given in quite a different manner than the snide remarks from Joseph Grant that angered Jane so greatly.

"Where is Jane?" Maura could not hold her question of any longer as she glanced around the cafeteria.

"Getting whatever pile of crap they're serving here today," Frost chuckled, and as if on cue, Jane slammed a tray of some unfortunate looking chicken marsala on the table beside Maura.

"Someone seems chipper," Frost raised an eyebrow as he took a bite of his PB&J sandwich.

"Yeah, well, considering that I'm probably about to die from food poisoning, I'd say it's appropriate," she growled, and Maura had to wonder if something beyond her unfortunate lunch was bothering her.

"I hardly think you'll die from eating your meal, but if you'd like, you can have half of my sandwich," Maura offered. She was enjoying smoked turkey breast on flatbread decorated with various vegetables.

"Nah, I couldn't take your food," Jane immediately protested, instead attempting to saw through her chicken with a plastic knife.

"No, please, Jane, I insist," Maura prodded, taking half the sandwich and placing it on a napkin before pushing it toward Jane.

"You sure?" Jane was still hesitant, but she seemed appreciative.

"Of course. I have plenty of food, and I'd hate to subject you to eating _that._"

As Jane took the sandwich, Maura couldn't help but to feel irrationally giddy as one of her cliché childhood dreams of having a friend to share lunches with came true. The topic of clichés brought her mind to another topic. "So I've been curious – is the high school caste system depicted in the media an actual reality, or is it merely played up as a source of entertainment?"

"Say whaty-what?" Jane muttered with a full mouth, and Frost's equally confused expression let Maura know she needed to rephrase in Layman's terms.

"The cliques you find in high school – I'd wager they are not nearly as extreme as what you'd find in a movie such as _Mean Girls, _but I am curious to know just how much the parody is based off of the reality."

"Well, we do have our popular crowd," Frost informed her with a flourish of his hand toward a table of pretty girls and their boyfriends. "Of course, there's not just one popular crowd. Thank heavens we don't have just one group of queen bitches who think they own the school. Cheerleaders do tend to sit together at lunch as well," Maura followed his hand as he continued his tour. "And so do the football players, some of the basketball players, and girls' soccer stays pretty tight knit, though guys soccer is a bit more scattered. Some normal kids, some moderately smart kids," he continued to scan his peers. "And here we have the techno savvy nerds." Maura's eyes fell on a table of mostly asian students, many of whom had a phone, laptop, or iPad out on their lap. "And the unfortunate nerds." He pointed to a group of misfits, and Maura noticed a great deal of glasses and sci-fi t-shirts. "And then just the unfortunate crowd," he turned his head a a few tables down, landing on a group perhaps even more mismatched than the previous. One girl wore a turtleneck and floor length skirt, despite the sweltering heat. "And a few goths or emos or whatever they try not to label themselves as," he finished.

Maura nodded, practically inhaling this new information, as she always did when she was in a new environment. "So what does that make you guys?"

"Sub-loser," Frost laughed, and Jane, who had been quite silent as she nibbled on her sandwich half, swiftly reached out to smack his arm.

"There's a difference between being a loser and loner," Jane defended.

"You're quite right," Maura chimed in. "There's a definite choice associated with loner."

Jane's smile was small but appreciative. "You can't tell me this is all new to you," Jane turned to Maura. "You must have had some sort of – what did you call it?"

"Caste system," Maura supplied for her.

"Yes. You must have the typical high school caste system at your fancy girls' school," Jane finished.

"Well, there are always popular girls," Maura admitted. "But I must say there was nothing quite as diverse as what you have here. Since all the girls at my school had similar financial standing, it did not leave room for much integration. Though of course, with aspects such a beauty that could not be determined by wealth, we did have a bit of cliques formed from factors like that."

"I bet you were in the pretty crowd," Jane blurted out without considering her words.

Maura blushed deeply. "I can't say I ever did find a group," Maura sighed lightly. "The girls at school tolerated me, but more often than not I'd find them smiling uncomfortably when I spoke, because, well, I talk like this...no one ever seemed interested in hearing what I had to say, at least not like you two seem to be." she admitted.

"Yeah, well, I don't know about Frost, but I think you're pretty weird," Jane replied with a smirk.

Maura's face fell immediately, to which Frost quickly responded. "Geez, she's just kidding," and he glared at Jane as if to force an apology from her.

"Yeah, just a joke," Jane assured her. "You need to lighten up."

"I apologize," Maura muttered. "I have never been very good at detecting sarcasm."

Frost laughed. "Jane will certainly have something to teach you."

She watched Jane grin wryly as she finished off her sandwich, and Maura reveled in the sense of belonging she had found.

* * *

_A/N: Thanks for the positive feedback! Thanks to those of you who reviewed, and I appreciate all the story alerts - I'm glad to see I've gathered some interest. I have the basic plot of this story figured out, but I'm still looking for some ideas - mainly cute, somewhat romantic, or humorous situations I can conjure up for these girls, so feel free to suggest your own ideas at any time. And as many of my fellow writers out there know, reviews make us (almost) as excited as Rizzles does, so please don't be shy :]_


	3. Chapter III

"Second day under our belt." Frost engaged in small talk with Jane as they left the school, the sky overcast, and Jane was grateful for the slightly cooler temperature.

"I can't believe it's already the weekend," Jane said in response. Jane had felt lucky to start off the school year on a Thursday, but she felt a hint of regret when she thought about having to wait through the weekend to see Maura again. She hadn't realized she was so desperate for a friend, but finding someone whom she was willing to tolerate was an accomplishment, so Jane tried her best not to overanalyze it. She had briefly contemplated inviting Maura to come down to the station with her and Frost after school but had quickly decided against it. It was absurd to think that someone like Maura, who probably had plenty of options of how to spend her afternoons after school, would enjoy spending time down at the station, surrounded by Jane's overly nosey family.

"You're quiet," Frost noticed. Though Jane was certainly not what one would label as chatty, she and Frost were usually able to keep a light conversation in progress as the made the trek from the school to the station.

"Just thinking," Jane replied. She kicked a pebble into the rain gutter, it's sharp clang almost unnoticeable amongst the clamor of the city. "You got any plans this weekend?"

"I have a date with _Dungeons and Dragons_ on my couch," Frost chuckled. He looked up at the sky, and Jane followed his gaze, feeling a raindrop graze her cheek.

Jane rolled her eyes affectionately. "You lead a thrilling life."

"Not half as thrilling as yours. What is it this weekend – trying to find an excuse to get out of helping your mom prepare a three course Italian dinner?" Frost teased her.

"As much as I wish I had a comeback, that is unfortunately accurate," Jane sighed. Perhaps the lack of Maura wasn't the only reason she wasn't looking forward the weekend. At least going to school made her feel like she had a semblance of a life.

They entered the station just as it began to rain, and Angela greeted them with the usual tray of broken cookies. "So how does it feel to finish your first week as freshmen?" Angela smiled at the pair.

"Two days hardly count, Ma." Jane's tone was mildly snappy as she dug around for what she could find of a chocolate chip cookie.

"You two are just getting so big," she sighed, earning an eye roll from Jane. "And I swear, Jane Clementine Rizzoli, if you keep rolling your eyes like that, they're going to become permanently stuck," Angela complained with a sigh that rivaled her first one.

Frost snickered loudly at the mention of her middle name. "You don't have the liberty mock me, Cupcake," Jane reminded him, which promptly stopped him mid-chuckle.

"Detective!" Angela's delighted exclamation tugged her away from her sour exchange with Jane. Korsak stepped up to the counter, matching Angela's smile. "What will it be today?"

Of course, Jane found herself rolling her eyes once again. She turned her attention to the TV on the far wall, idly watching, but the banner at the bottom of the screen caught her attention. _Adam Fairfield found dead. Boating accident or murder? _The camera panned down to the harbor, showing a newscaster on one of the docks.

"Hey, Korsak, is that your case?" Jane interrupted.

"That's Detective Korsak to you," he corrected her, but he turned his attention to the television. "Yep – the Fairfield murder," he seemed a bit proud, and Jane knew that he had anxiously been awaiting an interesting case ever since he had been promoted to homicide. "Well, perhaps its a bit premature to call it murder," he clarified. "But we certainly don't suspect fair play."

"Do you have any suspects?" she immediately asked, her voice rising a bit excitedly as Korsak fully indulged her, a rare occurrence.

"Just listen to the two of you!" Angela scolded, shooting the pair a disapproving glare, "Talking about murder as casually as you'd discuss the weather. Just think about his grieving family."

"Ma, you know how it is here," Jane protested. "It's all part of the job."

"Whoa, why didn't you tell me you got hired?" Frost chimed in with a smirk.

Jane only glowered, keeping her eyes glued to the TV as they showed a picture of the body, a hefty imprint on his head, which Korsak had alluded to the previous day. "And any idea how he got that nasty blow?"

"We don't have any significant leads yet, but I'm hoping to dig up some information at the wake tonight," Korsak explained.

"You can have a wake when there's a suspected murder?" Frost asked curiously, and the thought had immediately crossed Jane's mind as well, who had been fairly certain the body had to be kept for examination in the morgue, located just one level under the floor they stood on.

"Perhaps 'reception' would be a better term," Korsak corrected himself. "While we do have to keep the body here for obvious reasons, they are inviting guest to pay their respects at their home tonight."

"Can I come with you?" Jane knew it was a long shot, but her endless curiosity prodded her to ask. She found Korsak's eyes, chewing on her lower lip as she conjured up her best puppy dog face. Though it was a look she had perfected, she hadn't expected it to gain any significant response.

"Well, it is an open wake," Korsak reasoned, and Jane held her breath as she waited for him to finish. "I don't think it would be a problem – Angela?" he waited for her approval. Jane turned and planted her pathetic gaze on her mother instead.

"I don't have a problem with it. Perhaps it will teach Jane a thing or two about respect. Make sure she offers her condolences," Angela eyed Korsak significantly. Korsak nodded dutifully, and Jane did a victorious fist pump.

"Don't make me regret this," Korsak warned, but from the small smile that tugged on the corner of his mouth, Jane knew that he was glad to have her come along.

"You won't, sir," she answered, trying her best to contain her excitement.

Korsak grabbed his coffee, which was on the house once again. He thanked Angela, and turned to Jane before heading back to his desk. "Make sure you wear something nice."

XXX

'Something nice' for Jane included the pink tank top her mother had purchased for her, a pair of khaki cargo capris, and her tennies.

Korsak frowned as she stepped into his cruiser. "I thought I told you to wear a dress."

"No, you said 'something nice,'" Jane quoted defensively. "You can count your blessings that I changed out of my Red Sox tee. And that I'm wearing my hair down," she added for good measure, fingering her unruly mane.

He let the topic drop as he drove through the city. "So what do you know about the Fairfields?" Korsak asked.

"That they're filthy rich bastards," Jane smirked, her language a bit looser when she was away from the harrowing gaze of her mother.

Korsak chuckled. "I suppose that's about as accurate as you can get. We'll be talking mainly to Charlotte Fairfield – Adam's wife – I hope. And they have three sons as well, Adam, Sumner, and Garrett. I'd like to talk to Adam and Sumner as well. I'm not too worried about Garrett – he's only your age." Korsak chuckled again.

"Hey, you never know," Jane raised an eyebrow as they neared the wealthier part of town. Jane's mother insisted on making an annual event of coming out here during the holidays to see the lavish homes adorned with Christmas decorations, so it was a rarity that Jane found herself on this side of town. They pulled up to perhaps the largest home Jane had ever seen in person, and her mouth hung open involuntarily as she stepped out of the car, her eyes feasting on the sight of pure grandeur. The house was enormous, with a three story colonnade and a second floor porch.

"Come on," Korsak laughed a little, motioning for her to follow him inside. As soon as she entered the interior, she found herself wishing she had dug a dress out of her closet, feeling severely underdressed and out of place as her old tennies sunk into the thick carpet. The house was furnished beautifully, though the large spiraling staircase and the massive crystal chandelier were the two items that especially caught Jane's eye.

She followed Korsak down the front hallway into a large open room adorned with more expensive furniture and a large array of flowers that were so pungent that Jane felt dizzy for a moment.

"Detective," a woman with with dark hair pulled tightly back into a bun approached them, recognizing Korsak. Her face was blotched with fresh tears, and her voice was stuffy as she spoke.

"My condolences, Mrs. Fairfield," Korsak reached for her hand, politely taking it in his own.

"Uh, yeah, me too," Jane muttered immediately, shifting awkwardly on her feet, remembering her mother's words.

Korsak coughed. "This is my..." he paused for a panicked moment as he tried his best to find a word for his relationship with Jane that could be described without a backstory. "Niece," he lied, the flush in his cheeks dying down. "Jane – she's spending the week with me, and wished to offer her regrets."

Jane nodded solemnly, her eyes darting to Mrs. Fairfield's watery ones before she planted them back down on her dirty shoes. Mrs. Fairfield seemed too distraught to notice Jane's scrubby appearance, and she instead turned her attention back to Korsak. "At least he died doing what he loved," she choked out a sob, a fresh batch of tears pooling in her eyes.

"Uh, what was that?" Korsak asked, coughing a little, and Jane could tell that he was equally uncomfortable in this situation.

"Sailing – I can't believe he drowned," Mrs. Fairfield's voice went up an octave higher as she finished.

"We can't be so sure that's what happened," Korsak answered, though his voice was weak as he proceeded. "We're going to need a descrip-" he stopped himself short as Mrs. Fairfield's hysteria only heightened.

"Mother." Both Jane and Korsak turned as a young man came up behind them. Adam, Jane guessed. The eldest. He stepped over toward his grieving mother, rubbing her arm gently. "Would you give us a moment?" He turned his gaze back toward Korsak, who nodded politely.

"Now what?" whispered Jane, watching them disappear into the kitchen, Mrs. Fairfield's sobs growing louder.

"We wait," Korsak answered. "I'd like to have a chance to talk to the two older sons, if possible. If not, I'll have to come back another time," he concluded, glancing around the moderately crowded room.

"You mean this visit could've all been for nothing?" Jane huffed. Korsak had barely had a chance to ask Mrs. Fairfield any real questions, and Jane could hardly stand the fact that the one time she convinced Korsak to bring her along was going to be a dud.

"Detective work isn't instantaneous," he reminded her, though she could tell he was disappointed as well. "We don't even have a cause of death yet, so for now, we're going to have to give the family their space."

Jane sighed dramatically, tapping her foot as the murmurs of the crowd grew a little louder. She was about to ask Korsak if the other elder son was in sight when she caught a glimpse of a familiar shade of honey-colored hair. She darted her gaze back to the opposite end of the room, her stomach flopping as she immediately recognized Maura.

Maura, unlike Jane, was dressed perfectly for the occasion. She wore tasteful black dress with a light cardigan and a pair of matching flats, and her hair fell down her back in perfect ringlets. Jane scooted a little closer to Korsak, suddenly embarrassed to be here.

"Jane?" Maura noticed her before she could become too flustered. She stepped across the room, her face lighting up as she recognized her. "What are you doing here?"

Jane met her halfway, noticing that Korsak had become engaged in a conversation with an older woman. "Uh," she feebly dug for an excuse, the truth sounding unbearably lame and desperate, and she found she had this aggravating, innate need to impress Maura. "My uncle," she pointed toward Korsak before she could gage the consequences of following up his lie. "I'm here with my uncle. He knows the Fairfields."

"Oh, that was quite nice of you to come with him," Maura nodded, looking a bit uneasy the whole time Jane fumbled through her lie.

"What about you?" Jane asked, equally as shocked to have bumped into her new friend so unexpectedly.

"The Fairfields are old family friends," she explained, though she turned her head quite sharply as she finished speaking. "Damn it," she hissed, her sudden cursing startling Jane. "Come with me," Maura whispered, her voice rushed, and she had grabbed hold of Jane's hand before she could even process the situation.

The sudden contact sent a spark through Jane's entire arm. "Where are we going?" she whispered, but Maura only hushed her, abruptly jerking her through the crowd, leading her down the hallway that emerged into the empty parlor. She dragged Jane behind one of the couches that was positioned a few feet away from the wall, and even for the two slender girls, it was a tight fit.

"Sorry," Maura whispered, her breath bouncing off Jane's face.

Jane's heart pounded erratically, still trying to process the situation. "What was that all about?"

"I'm being absurd, really," Maura explained, her voice a little louder and bit calmer. "And unforgivably rude," she chastised herself. "But I caught sight of Garrett, and I just couldn't bear the idea of speaking to him just yet," she admitted, and to Jane's confused expression, she added. "Garrett and I dated briefly last school year."

"You dated a Fairfield?" Jane was in awe at piece of information. And of course, a feeling of inferiority settled in her stomach once again as Maura proved to be even more experienced in yet another aspect of her life. Jane had never kissed a boy, let alone dated one.

"Only for a few months," Maura explained. "And then I broke it off, somewhat abruptly," she admitted. "I haven't spoken to him since. I know I'll need to confront him by the end of the evening – his father is dead, and here I am, being utterly selfish," she sighed, and Jane realized she was speaking more to herself than she was to Jane. She lifted up her head, her hazel eyes bright, despite the darkness that engulfed the area behind the couch.

"I understand," Jane sympathized, who could relate to the feeling of putting personal pride over proper conduct.

Maura smiled appreciatively. She had put on a bit more makeup than usual, and Jane could not help but to notice how beautiful she looked.

"So, uh," Jane attempted to keep the conversation going, having no more desire to leave their hiding space than Maura did. She wanted to ask why she and Garrett had broken up, but she couldn't think of a tactful way to say it, so she settled for a less invasive question instead. "How did that work, dating Garrett when you went to an all girls' school?"

"I don't live far from here," Maura explained, "so it was easy for us to meet up after school. And Garrett attends Bridgton Academy – the all boys' school – and we always had joint events, such as dances and field trips, so we were able to attend those together as well."

Jane nodded, not quite sure what to say, feeling wildly inexperienced and immature. The two were silent for a moment, the voices of the guests only a faint murmur as they remained tucked behind the couch.

"Jane!" Korsak's voice broke through the drone, and Jane felt her stomach sink, no longer interested in tagging along as he performed his investigation.

"I think that's your uncle," Maura stated, turning her face toward Jane. "I suppose I had better offer Garrett my condolences," she sighed.

Jane took it as her cue to crawl out from behind the couch. She dusted off her knees, reaching to offer Maura her hand as she daintily maneuvered herself from behind the piece of furniture.

"Thanks," Maura smiled, gripping Jane's outstretched hand, and Jane decided she quite liked how nicely Maura's hand fit there.

* * *

_A/N: Yeah, it's probably implausible for Korsak to let Jane tag along, but sometimes we have to sacrifice accuracy for the sake of Rizzles. And would you look this new layout? Reviewing has never been so easy. It's like the site is just begging you to do it._


	4. Chapter IV

_One more minute, _Jane tapped her foot impatiently, gaging the time as she glanced toward the locker room door, waiting for Maura's arrival. Jane knew she was already teetering on the edge of being late for class herself, but she could not ignore the overwhelming sense of disappointment she felt at the thought of Maura missing a day of school.

"Come on," she hissed, letting out an unnecessarily loud huff. The door remained closed, and Jane let out a defeated sigh, trudging into the gym.

"Hey, Rizzoli, where's your girlfriend?" Grant taunted Jane as she merged with the class of boys. He tossed a basketball into the air, catching it on the way down with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Shut up, she's not my girlfriend," Jane growled, her eyes shooting daggers in Grant's direction.

"Oh, are you jealous?" Jane jerked her head around and was surprised to see Maura walk up behind her, still dressed in her regular apparel. She linked arms with Jane, tugging her a little closer. Jane was left breathless and speechless, her eyes darting from their intertwined arms to Grant's face. "I'd say it's safe to reason that you use flagrant insults to compensate for your immense insecurity – and that you very much wish that Jane gave you even a fraction of the respect and interest she shows in me."

It took Grant a moment to comprehend her insult, and when he did, Jane did not miss the blush that rose to his ears. "Listen, I don't know what you've been smoking, but-"

"Is there a problem here?" Coach Walker had now emerged, his clipboard in hand as he approached the class. "And is there a reason you're not changed, Miss Isles?"

Grant cowered into submission, not about to let his rowdy side show in front of a teacher. Maura, however, remained quite collected. She let her arm slide out of Jane's, stepping toward the coach. "Everything is under control now, and yes, I have a late pass from guidance," she handed him her note before walking off to the locker room to change.

Jane watched her until she disappeared behind the door, blown away by her confidence. Grant avoided making eye contact with Jane, and she could not help but to feel smug seeing him put in his place. Maura emerged a few minutes later, her cheeks a little flushed and her ponytail askew from changing so quickly. She jogged up beside Jane, and they followed the rest of the class outside toward the football stadium.

"Thanks – for what you said to him," Jane muttered, blushing a little as she glanced over at Maura. "It was pretty awesome, seeing someone talk to Grant like that."

"Of course, it wasn't a problem at all. It's what friends do," she assured Jane, beginning to fan herself a little as the heat of the morning engulfed them. "So what are we doing in class today?"

"Mile run today," Jane answered. "You shouldn't have bothered showing up at all today," she laughed a little.

"Oh, I love running." Maura never failed to surprise her. Jane made a face, already sweating, and she had not even begun to run.

"So why were you at guidance?" Jane asked, as the two of them lined up on the track, realizing too late that it may have been for a personal reason.

"Just a scheduling conflict," Maura sighed, Coach Walker's whistle cutting through the air, and the girls began to jog at a steady pace. "My AP Anatomy class was canceled because too many people dropped it, so I had to see if I could fit it in at another time, which unfortunately I could not." She paused for a moment, her words becoming harder to form as she picked up her pace – which Jane promptly matched. "So I opted to take just a regular Anatomy class instead," she finished, sounding morose.

"Shame, one less AP class to boost your GPA," Jane teased her, pulling ahead just a hair, challenging Maura. Maura gladly took the it, side by side with Jane again in a moment, though she scowled from Jane's comment. "What period do you have Anatomy now?" Jane added.

"Third," Maura answered, increasing her speed once again, giving Jane a wry grin as she glanced back at her.

Jane sucked in a breath, sprinting to catch Maura so she could keep her pace even with hers. She had to wait a moment before she spoke. "No kidding," she grinned. "That's when I have it – you have Mr. Chesholt?"

"Yes," Maura's face perked up considerably.

"Great, now I'll have a partner who already knows all the answers. Couldn't have worked out better in my favor," Jane spoke between huffs. They had already passed up most of the boys in the class, and Maura showed no sign of slowing her pace.

Maura shoved her playfully and pulled ahead even farther. Jane almost lost her footing, feeling a little dizzy from the heat, but she wasn't about to let Maura beat her, so she took in another gulp of air before surging forward. They were too breathless to talk anymore as the finished their run, challenging each other the entire time. They sprinted over the finish line simultaneously, out-running the entire class with the exception of one boy.

"Nicely done, ladies." Coach Walker seemed impressed as her took the girls' times.

"You weren't a'kidding when you said you liked to run," Jane spoke nearly a minute later, finally able to swallow enough air to form words again.

Maura grinned, still panting, a fine sheen of sweat covering her skin. "Ready to go change?"

Jane nodded, and they headed back into the equally humid school, pushing open the door to the locker room.

"It's a shame they don't give us enough time between classes to shower," Maura complained, pushing her damp hair away from her neck.

Jane glanced toward the shower heads lining the wall on the other side of the locker room, all rusty and ancient. "I wouldn't want to use them anyway," she muttered with a shrug, the idea of stripping down completely to shower utterly mortifying. Of course, Maura wouldn't have thought twice about it, and for a split second, an image of Maura's naked body drenched in a stream of water entered her mind.

She quickly tugged her shirt off, shaking the image from her mind. Maura was in the process of pealing her undergarments off, and Jane focused her eyes intently on the floor. Her tank was too wet with sweat to wear, and she was beginning to see the benefits of packing an extra change of underclothes. She shrugged her tank off, reaching quickly for her t-shirt.

"Jane!" She jerked her head up, expecting the building to be on fire by the tone of Maura's voice. "Your bra..." she paused, stopping to consider her words. Jane looked down at her simple, faded sports bra and immediately crossed her arms over her chest defensively. "It's just...quite a sad excuse for a bra," Maura finished.

Jane let out a huff of air. "It does the job." She quickly shimmied into her t-shirt, shielding her bra from view. "Plus, it's not like anyone else sees it, so who really cares?"

"Jane, every girl should own at least one nice bra, regardless if anyone sees it or not. It's a great confidence booster – look at mine," she offered, though Jane really wished she wouldn't. She peaked at Maura's pink bra, adorned with black polka dots and a bit of lace, before tugging her gaze away once again.

Jane shrugged. "I still don't see what's wrong with mine. It's comfy."

"It's awful," Maura's tone had become slightly biting in her annoyance.

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because your bra should not even qualify as a piece of clothing!"

"That's not a reason!"

"It most certainly is," Maura countered indignantly. "We're going shopping after school, and I'm going to prove to you what a difference you'll feel when you own a classy bra."

Jane scoffed. "Oh you wish."

The bell rang, cutting their conversation short.

"I'll see you third period," Maura reminded her, her tone making it clear that this conversation was over.

Jane only rolled her eyes.

XXX

Maura was standing next to her locker as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Jane wasn't really surprised. Maura had been relentless in Anatomy class, and though she had yet to admit it to Maura, she had long since caved to her request. Jane predicted that saying no to Maura would be next to impossible, but she wasn't about to let Maura use that against her all too quickly.

"Thought you could escape?" Maura raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smug smile. She was having too much fun with this.

"No," Jane answered, making sure to add a heavy sigh. "I'm actually surprised I'm not tied up in the back of your car right now."

"Come on, please, Jane, this will be fun," Maura begged once again, latching onto her arm and flashing Jane her sweetest smile. If Jane hadn't already internally accepted, this would've done her in.

"Right. Fun," Jane snorted. "But honestly, if I have to endure one more second of your pathetic begging, I may shoot myself, so I'll let you win. But just this once," she warned, but Maura seemed to disregard the second half of her statement, engulfing Jane in overly enthusiastic hug.

"Do you, uh, have a phone I could borrow – I need to call my mom," Jane added, back to feeling a bit inferior, guessing she was the only high school student who didn't yet own a cell phone.

"Of course," Maura gladly complied, pulling the newest iPhone out of her pocket and handing it to Jane.

Jane was glad when her mother's cell phone went to voicemail, and she left a very brief message. "It's Jane, borrowed a friend's phone. Going to Frost's after school just so you know, bye."

Maura frowned as Jane handed her the phone back. "Why did you just lie to your mother?"

The two girls walked down the hall toward the front of the building. "Because my mother is crazy," Jane stated, as though that one phrase explained everything. "Let's just say she'd be even more ecstatic than you at even the thought of me shopping with a girl friend after school."

"Well that seems like a rude and immature reason. Why not indulge her?" Maura contradicted, leading Jane toward an expensive black Mercedes.

Jane nearly choked on her words. "Um, yeah, worst idea ever. You haven't met my mother."

"No, but I think I'd like her," Maura stated matter-of-factly, a smile playing on her lips as she opened the back door of the car for Jane. Jane hesitated, but she crawled into the cool interior of the car, and Maura promptly joined her.

"Jane, this is Jeremy - our butler," she added at Jane's expense, which earned her an eyebrow raise followed by an eye roll. Maura's social standing blew her away and intimidated her once again. "And Jeremy, this is Jane," she finished her introduction. Jane gave a small wave toward the older man. "Jeremy, we'd like to go to the mall if that's not a problem."

"Of course not, Miss Isles," he answered. "And it's nice to meet you, Jane," he added politely. Jane nodded in return, still in awe (and slightly irritated) that Maura had a butler at her beck and call.

The mall wasn't far, and Jeremy dropped the girls off at the entrance. Jane reluctantly followed Maura inside, trying to remember the last time she'd been here. Probably Christmas, when she had to return the hideous dress her grandmother had given her from JCPenney's.

Maura headed straight toward Victoria's Secret, and as soon as Jane caught sight of the voluptuous models in the window display, she wheeled around. "Uh, I changed my mind. I think I'm allergic to lace."

"Oh, no, you're not going anywhere." Maura grabbed her arm quite firmly, marching her into the store before Jane could manage to further protest. She planted her in front of table, choosing a few options of colorful and ornate bras for Jane to choose from. Jane picked up a lacy red one, holding it between her pointer finger and thumb as though it were toxic. She checked the price, her eyes bulging.

"Uh, Maura, I don't think I'm going to be able to afford this," she blurted before she could consider her words. No matter how embarrassing they were, they may have been just the out that she need.

"No need to worry," Maura assured her, pulling a credit card out of her purse. "I have you covered. My mother makes sure it's always generously loaded."

"No, I'm not letting you – or your mother," Jane quickly added, "pay for my...underclothes." Her cheeks turned a little pink, and she tossed the red bra back onto the table.

Maura ignored her, still rummaging through the pile of bras. "What size do you wear, Jane?"

"Uh, a small?" Jane guessed, not well versed in lingerie jargon.

"You mean to tell me you don't even know what size you wear? Come on," she tugged on Jane's arm again, not even waiting for an answer. "We're getting you measured."

"God, no, please no, Maura. I'm begging you," Jane pleaded, panicking at just the thought.

"Oh, hush, and stop being such a baby." Maura shushed her. She approached the fitting room attendant, handing Jane off to her for a proper fitting. Once measured, the attendant sent her off into her own fitting room to try on a few beige bras in her expected size.

Jane grimaced as she tossed her sports bra aside, fumbling with the hooks of the plainest bra she had been given, pulling it up across her nearly non-existent chest, barely filling up the A cup.

"Does it fit?" Maura's impatient voice asked from behind the closed door.

"Uh, I guess?" Jane pushed her boobs up, trying to make them look a little bigger. Her reflection frowned back at her in the mirror. "I don't know."

"Oh, for heavens' sake, Jane," Maura exasperated. "Come out here for a moment, and I'll give you the verdict."

Jane swore a little and whined, but she reluctantly opened the door, feeling almost naked as she emerged from the fitting room with her arms crossed against her breasts. She let them slowly fall away, squirming beneath Maura's gaze. The blonde stepped toward her, unexpectedly reaching out to fix the twisted strap on Jane's left shoulder. Jane involuntarily shivered as her fingers grazed her skin.

"It's a just a little big," Maura muttered, taking a step back.

Jane sighed. "Guess its back to little girls' section at Target for me."

"You'll grow into it soon enough." Maura chose to ignore her. "Now why don't we go find some fun patterns?"

"Oh, no, this is as fun as I get," Jane answered, though the bra she wore was so plain that it practically blended in with her skin.

"Fine, we'll get that one too. But we came here so you could get one fun one. Trust me, the undergarments you wear could make or break your day."

"You're ridiculous – and to think I actually thought you were intelligent." Maura looked slightly wounded by her words.

"Sarcasm," Jane reminded her, and Maura's worried expression immediately softened.

Once Jane was comfortably changed back into her original sports bra and the rest of her clothes, Maura dragged her over to a table decorated with brightly colored bras. Jane looked at them in horror, choosing a grey one with faint white polka dots. "There."

"You're no fun," Maura pouted, in turn holding up a hot pink lacy one. Jane only wrinkled her nose.

After much debate and protesting, Maura had finally managed to get Jane to choose one more patterned bra and had indulged her by allowing her to pick one sports bra.

"You do realize I'm not letting you pay for these?" Jane protested once again.

"You do realize I'm not letting you have a say, right?" Maura looked quite devilish as she snatched the bras away from Jane's grasp, strutting over toward the register. "You might as well pick some underwear as well while we're here." Maura picked up a pair of lacy panties that rested on a table right in front of the check out counter.

"Hell, no. My mom's gonna think I've become a prostitute next time she does the wash."

Maura scowled dramatically.

"Ugh, fine, we both know you're gonna win anyway." Jane took a handful of lace panties and tossed them at Maura. "Go ahead and ring them up."

Maura looked quite smug as she paid for the items, while Jane impatiently tapped her foot behind her. "I hope you're happy," she growled.

Maura handed her the bag of her purchases, and the two left the store. "Oh, I am, and I expect to see you wearing one of these tomorrow morning."

* * *

_A/N: Guys, I can't thank you enough for your feedback. I'm so glad you're enjoying it - as always, keep those lovely comments coming :]_


	5. Chapter V

"Thanks for the ride," Jane smiled at Maura as they pulled up in front of her small abode. Her smile spoke more than her words did, letting Maura know that she was thankful for much more than the ride. Despite her stubborn attitude, she had enjoyed spending the afternoon with Maura, and though she wasn't sure she'd ever embrace a love for Maura's girly tendencies, it had been nice find a friend she enjoyed spending time with.

"Of course," Maura smiled in return, reaching to rest an hand on Jane's arm. Jane was becoming more accustomed to her touchy nature, but it did not mean that it affected her any less. "See you tomorrow!" she called after Jane, waving from the back window.

Jane waved back, a somewhat goofy grin on her face. Once Maura's car was out of sight, she was jolted back into reality, and she quickly shoved the Victoria's Secret bag into her backpack before she trotted up the porch steps. She was assaulted by the heavy smell of spices as she entered the steamy kitchen, greeted by her mother as she prepared dinner.

"How was Barry?" her mother immediately asked as Jane leaned up against the counter, reaching to pull a long lasagna noodle out of the pasta streamer. Her mother swatted her hand away, but not before Jane had captured a noddle for herself.

It took Jane a moment to recall her lie, though once she had, she confidently spoke. "Fine. We just hung out, played some video games," she shrugged, snatching one more noodle as her mother turned her back to stir the pot of steamed veggies.

The phone rang, startling the two of them, and Jane sat down at the table, chewing on her noodle as her mother answered.

"Barry?" her mother spoke after a moment, and Jane jerked her head up, inwardly cursing as she realized she would have to work her way out of her lie. "Jane was just over there...did she forget something?"

There was silence on her mothers' end for a moment, and Jane held her breath, expecting a glare and a lecture shortly, but instead her mother's expression remained quite collected. "You two are ridiculous, but it's fine if you stop by – I'm sure Jane would be fine with it too. Would you like to talk to her?" She paused for a moment. "Oh, okay. And just so you know, you're welcome to join us for dinner," she added before hanging up the phone.

Jane let out a long breath, glad that Frost had somehow covered for her. "What did Frost want?"

"Apparently you two have a project to work on – and I can't fathom why you wouldn't have gotten a start on it this afternoon – letting your brains turn to mush from those stupid video games," she shook her head, straying off topic as she began to layer the pasta, sauce, and cheese. "So he's gonna stop by for a little. You'd better get some work done this time," her mother warned, and she stopped laying noodles for a prolonged moment as she found Jane's gaze, giving her a significant look that only mothers seemed able to produce.

Frost arrived in about ten minutes, his house within walking distance from Jane's. She answered the door for him, herding him upstairs before her mother had a chance to pounce and engage him in a drawn out conversation.

"So, what are you hiding?" Frost immediately spoke as soon as Jane had closed her door. He plopped down on Jane's bed, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"What? I'm not hiding anything," Jane immediately defended, though her eyes darted toward her backpack that was now stuffed full of fancy bras. Jane sat down on the edge of the bed, the mattress creaking beneath her weight.

"You told your mom you were at my place – so spill. Is it a boy?" Frost suggested with a smirk.

Jane slapped him playfully, letting a disgusted noise escape her lips, the thought appalling to her, so she reacted in a childish manner. "Ew, no."

Frost chuckled. "Geez, we don't have cooties."

Jane made a face. "If you must know, I was shopping with Maura." Her eyes darted toward her backpack again.

Frost looked disappointed. "And here I was, thinking you were doing some worthwhile sneaking around."

"Hey, I didn't want to give my mother the satisfaction of knowing that I was off doing girly crap. Or even knowing that I've made a girl friend," she added, mumbling slightly, knowing how ridiculous she sounded. Her mother was a convenient excuse, but the truth was, Jane's real reason for keeping Maura so separate from her home life was because she was ashamed of it. From the little Jane knew about Maura, she had reasoned quickly that her life must have been perfect and glamorous, the exact opposite of Jane's, with her embarrassingly nosy mother (whom she was certain would scare Maura away in a heartbeat) to their small, cramped home with dated décor and hardly anything worth showing off.

"Your call," Frost shrugged, now completely disinterested, seeing as Jane's lie had turned out to be quite anticlimactic.

"Thanks for covering for me though," Jane muttered with a small sigh.

"I wasn't about to let your get busted if I could help it," Frost assured her. "And we'd better get started on that project ASAP," he added with a wink.

It reminded Jane of all the real homework she had to complete, which subsequently reminded her of the unwanted items shoved into her bag, so she quickly reached for her it, taking out the Victoria's Secret bag and hurriedly shoving it under her mattress for safekeeping.

"Hey, what was that?" Frost's interest was piqued again as he witnessed Jane's secretive fumbling.

"Nothing," Jane automatically answered, her cheeks blushing bright pink.

"Cut the crap," Frost rolled his eyes dramatically, reaching to grab the bag from beneath the mattress. Jane tackled him immediately, pinning him to the bed before his fingers could even as much as graze the bag. "Geez, you're feisty today." Frost attempted to move, but Jane kept him locked in her grasp.

The door creaked open before Jane and Frost had a chance to fly apart. "Whoa, am I walking in on something?" Frankie raised an eyebrow as he watched his sister remove herself from on top of Frost, who looked a little embarrassed himself as he scooted toward the opposite end of the bed.

Jane, however, now knowing that it was not her mother, felt much more at ease. She plopped down next to Frost, slinging an arm around his shoulder as she grinned back at Frankie. "Yeah, we're dating now. Did we forget to tell you?"

Frankie made a face, and Frost tossed her arm back into her lap. "Oh, she wishes," he snorted, and Frankie matched his laugh.

Jane scowled, suddenly annoyed by her little brother and the interest Frost had recently been showing the younger boy. "What did you want anyway?"

"Ma wanted me to tell you guys that dinner's ready," Frankie revealed the reason of his sudden entrance.

"You staying?" Jane asked, rising from the bed and glancing at Frost over her shoulder.

"I wouldn't miss your mom's cooking even if the end of the world was upon us," Frost laughed, following her down the steps as they entered the kitchen, the smell of homemade lasagna wafting through the air.

Angela had pulled up an extra chair for Frost, and Jane felt suddenly ravenous as her mother brought the steaming dish over to the table. Tommy was already at the table, looking quite impatient as he spun his fork around the center of his plate. Frankie and Angela quickly joined them, leaving only Jane's father absent from the table.

"Frank!" Angela hollered, and Jane winced, shooting Frost an apologetic look. Tommy looked as though he were about to attack the lasagna as they waited for a reply, but they were only greeted with silence. "Oh for heaven's sake," Angela grumbled, pushing out her chair as she rose. She stomped over to stairs, her voice carrying to the second floor. "Franceso Lorenzo Rizzoli, you had better get your rear end planted at this table immediately, or so help me!"

Jane was about to die from embarrassment, but Frost merely snickered beside her, shooting Frankie an eyebrow raise across the table. "Does that mean your full name is Francesco, too?" Frankie's face flushed all the way to the tip of his ears, confirming it.

The brief humor did not alleviate the tension for long as Jane's father yelled back just as vehemently. "For Christ's sake, Angela, I'm trying to get my billing done!"

"Oh, it's always excuses with you," Angela rebutted. Jane sank lover into her chair. Frankie smoothed his napkin into his lap, and even Tommy shot Jane an uncomfortable look. "This is a _family _dinner, and we need you down here so we can say grace – the billing can wait."

"Jesus, Angela, could you just cut me a break?" Frank's voice sounded no closer than before, and Jane doubted her mother would win this one. "I swear, it always comes down to nagging with you. I have a job and a family to run, and I sure as hell don't need your hounding on top of that."

Angela sighed loud enough for all the kids at the table to hear it. "Fine," her voice was softer, a bit more feeble this time. "Be like that."

As she entered the kitchen, Jane could tell she was fighting tears. She shot Frost a pleading, yet apologetic look, and he immediately deciphered her simple message. He looked regretfully at the steamy lasagna before he rose from the table, mumbling a few quick goodbyes. Angela slumped back down in her seat, letting out a small sob, Tommy and Frankie also scampered away, allowing her a moment to herself as they tried their best not to impose any awkwardness on the situation.

Only Jane remained, and she let out a heavy sigh as she reached for her mother's hand. It was certainly not the first time she'd seen her parents fight - in fact, the fighting and bickering had become less and less sporadic as of recently, and she could not blame her mother as she watched her tear at the seams. "It's gonna be okay, Ma," she tried her best to soothe her.

Angela wiped her eyes. "It seems like its all we ever do - bicker and yell." She sniffed a little. "Everything I say rubs him the wrong way. I do a lot for this family too, and it's not easy, but you don't see my whining the way he does."

Jane patted her hand a little more before speaking. "He's just stressed out with work, Ma," Jane feebly defend him.

"Things are always bad at work – and even when they aren't, he's still like this. I'm just trying to find one hint of the man that I married," she sighed, looking wistful, remembering a time that Jane was not even aware of. "Work can't always be his excuse. I must be doing something else wrong."

Her guilt ridden face was enough to make Jane feel guilty herself about all the times she'd become annoyed or whined to her mother. She truly was a wonderful mother, the best Jane could've asked for, despite her tendencies to over coddle and rub an already abrasive Jane the wrong way. "No, Ma. It's not your fault. He's just being a pain - he's stressed," she emphasized again. "And stress makes you act like an asshole."

"I ought to punish you for calling your father that," Angela replied back with a stern gaze, but it was followed by a smile. Jane had managed to lighten the mood considerably.

"Ma, things are gonna get better," Jane promised. She smiled softly in return, and then she stood, wrapping her arms around her mother's shoulders in an uncharacteristic hug. "Things are gonna get better."

* * *

_A/N: Fanfiction is being a bitch, so sorry if you get more than one alert for this chapter. Also, to answer the anon's question, I must've replaced Chapter IV with the wrong document this morning when I fixed a little error I had - don't worry, I didn't delete last chapter. It's all fixed now._

_ Also, I apologize that this is so short, and sorry for the lack of Maura, but I'm not gonna be able to update until the middle of next week, so I thought I'd give you a bit of a filler chapter to tide you over until then. Thank you so much for your feedback - its phenomenal, and more than I ever expected for get for this. You guys are really the best - keep it coming :]_


	6. Chapter VI

_A/N: It seems you guys didn't like the lack of Maura last chapter. Not that I can blame you ;) Don't worry, there's plenty of her in this chapter. Also, I apologize that this was not a speedy update. There's some Rizzles cuteness, so hopefully you can forgive me_

* * *

"Honestly, Bass, I don't know what to make of her," Maura sighed, letting her arms dangle off the end of her bed as she watched the tortoise inch across the carpet. "One minute she has quite a sassy attitude, and the next, she's looking at me with her big, beautiful eyes like she'd do anything for me." She rolled over so she was facing the ceiling instead, looking up at the skylight that adorned the center. She knew it was ridiculous for her to talk to her tortoise. He hardly understood her words, but he was a good listener, and Maura merely needed to reason her thoughts out loud.

When Maura was around Jane, she found it easy to act confidently and fall into an easy friendship with her, but of course during the endless hours in the evening that she spend alone, she found herself analyzing every aspect of their relationship. She had never had a close friend to compare Jane to before, and when she delved too deeply into the matter, she began to experience doubts and insecurity.

"I can say one thing for certain, I've never met anyone quite like her." She flipped onto her stomach once again to face her tortoise. He had covered another three inches, and he paused at the sudden creaking of Maura's bed to slowly turn his neck toward her. She smiled, her tortoise appearing much more aware they she knew he actually was. But it was always a comfort to her nevertheless. Bass nodded his head, as if consenting his approval, before he continued his crawl.

Maura wasn't quite sure what it was like to have a best friend. She had never imagined that it would be so appealing, so enchanting. Every time Jane touched her, even in the most innocent manner, she found her stomach erupting with a burst of butterflies, a feeling she could only equate to how kissing Garrett or the few other boys she'd briefly locked lips with, and even so, being in Jane's presence was much more appealing than that. Of course, Maura had no prior friends to relate her feelings for Jane to. The girls at Willard had avoided her, either intimidated by her intelligence or weirded out by her tendency to spout off random facts of knowledge. It had resulted in a very lonely childhood for Maura, and the contact with her peers had stopped at mere smiles and polite conversational exchanges. Perhaps all she felt for Jane was a mere satisfaction for what she had been craving for so long.

"I like having a friend," Maura concluded, letting her worries melt away. She glanced at Bass, who was nearing the far wall of her room. It made her feel a little less pathetic about having these conversations with her pet.

XXX

Mr. Chesholt surprised them with sheep heart to dissect the following morning. They had been studying the heart for the past few days, and he now challenged his class to complete the dissection without the aid of their notes or himself.

"The first pair of students to complete the most precise dissection and locate each part of the heart that I have listed on this sheet will receive five bonus points," he concluded. "So pick your partners carefully. Good luck."

"He gives me the creeps," Jane whispered she and Maura rose from their seats to claim their heart and choose their tools.

"He does have somewhat serpentine qualities about him," Maura agreed, strutting confidently to the back counter. While the eighteen other students in the class wracked their memories as they hesitantly examined the tools, Maura took her pick without even taking a moment to ponder her choices. "Grab a heart and a pair of gloves for us both, won't you?" Maura asked Jane as she balanced the scalpels, pins, probes and scissors in her own grasp.

Maura meticulously set up their lab table, lining up each instrument in the order in which they'd need to use them. She tugged at her wrist, hoping to find a hair tie there, and she frowned when her fingers came in contact with a bare wrist.

"Do you have an extra hair tie?" she turned to Jane. "I would've come prepared if I had known we'd be dissecting today."

Jane snapped an extra one off her wrist, handing it to Maura, and their fingers brushed unintentionally. The subtle contact sent shivers up Maura's spine, and she knew Jane was not unaffected either as she quickly withdrew her hand. Perhaps it wasn't normal, but she hardly had any time to consider that now. She snapped on her latex gloves and directed Jane to do the same.

"So you've done this before?" Jane clarified, reaching hesitantly for the probe. Maura smacked her hand away, reaching for the scalpel instead.

"Yes, once with a sheep's heart and once with a cow's," she confirmed, carefully making an incision into the superior vena cava. "I've even had the privilege of dissecting a cat."

Jane frowned, watching Maura slowly lead her scalpel down into the right atrium. "Poor cat."

"They were donated from the local shelter – they euthanize them after they have been there for an extended period of time, regardless, so why not fully utilize them?" Maura defended, though she was becoming somewhat distant as she concentrated. She pried open the small opening she had created, peaking inside. "Can you hand me that probe please, Jane?"

"Can I make the next cut?" Jane asked hopefully, handing Maura the probe.

Maura took a moment to answer, thoroughly examining the specimen before she comprehended Jane's words. "Incision, Jane. Not 'cut.' And you want to win the bonus points, don't you?" She asked, avoiding Jane's initial question.

"What, you don't trust me?" Jane huffed.

"It's not that I don't trust you – you've just never completed a dissection before, so perhaps observing the first time would be in your best interest?" Maura tried her best to reason with her. She inserted the probe into pulmonary artery and watched it emerge into the right ventricle.

"I cannot believe you." Jane scowled, and Maura reluctantly diverted her attention to Jane's face, though once her eyes landed there, she had to wonder why she had avoided looking at her for so long. She blushed a little as she pondered that thought. "I doubt you'll need these bonus points – are you really so particular that you won't even let me try?" Jane pleaded.

It was difficult for Maura to relinquish control. She was always precise, often to the extent of becoming a bit compulsive, and it did not thrill her to let an amateur complete this task. But Jane's pout was surprisingly endearing, and Maura's heart fluttered yet again, so she relinquished the scalpel. "Fine," she muttered, though the tender smile on her lips gave away her true feelings.

Jane grinned, and she gripped the scalpel quite roughly in her fist, making Maura nervous. She made a move to impale the organ, to which Maura immediately grabbed her wrist in panic. "No, no, no!" She shouted, keep Jane's hand firmly in her grasp.

"Geez, I was just messing with you," Jane apologized, shaking her wrist out of Maura's grasp. "Relax." Maura allowed herself to breathe, watching Jane grip the scalpel much more appropriately this time.

"I make the cu—I mean incision here at the base of the aorta, right?" Jane confirmed as she placed the blade of the scalpel gently on the organ.

"Yes, that's right," Maura confirmed, and Jane grinned proudly, dragging the scalpel slowly through the wall of the left atrium. Though her hand was a little shaky and her incision was not quite as precise as Maura would have made it, she had done no significant damage. Maura tried her best to set her mind at ease.

"Can you see where the aorta connects to the left ventricle?" Maura asked, handing Jane the probe so she could demonstrate herself. Jane carefully took the instrument, looking nervous as she prodded the interior of the heart for a moment.

"Here, right?" she asked hopefully.

"Almost," Maura informed her, taking Jane's hand in her grasp once again and leading it a hair to the left. "There it it is."

Jane smiled. "So what next?"

Maura picked up handful of the pins, dropping a few into Jane's gloved palm. "We locate all the specified items on the list." She pointed toward the half sheet of paper Mr. Chesholt had provided for them, careful not to let her gooey glove touch the paper.

"So we're basically done already?" Jane asked, looking surprised as Maura began to insert pins, making a mental checklist as she glanced back at the list.

"Yes, a basic heart dissection is quite simple." The rest of the class did not seem to feel similarly, however. Many of them had hopelessly butchered their hearts, severing them in all the wrong places.

Maura allowed Jane to place some of the pins, and once she had checked their handiwork twice. She raised her hand, alerting Mr. Chesholt that they had completed his challenge.

"You girls finished fast," he muttered as he approached their table, looking somewhat doubtful. But as soon as he took a closer look, his face become pleasantly impressed. "But you did not finish in haste, I see. Nearly perfect," he praised, giving both of the girl a nod. Maura beamed, and Jane looked pretty smug herself.

"Have one of you completed a heart dissection previous to this class?" He raised an eyebrow at the pair.

"I have, sir," Maura said, feeling a bit meek. Jane was correct about his somewhat unsettling presence. Even his voice made her feel a bit uneasy.

"Once the rest of the class is done destroying their specimens, you may present your work to the class," he informed her, and Maura nodded graciously.

Jane smiled at her after Mr. Chesholt returned to the front of the room. "We make a pretty good team, huh?"

XXX

"How are you ladies?" Frost asked as he placed his tray on the table, sitting opposite of the two girls.

"Pretty great, Cupcake," Jane replied with her usual response, and Maura chuckled softly. She found Jane's friendship with Frost utterly endearing. "Maura and I dissected a heart today in Anatomy."

Frost's face visibly paled. He lowered his cheeseburger away from his mouth. "This is not appropriate lunch time conversation," he protested, though his voice was a little weak.

"You are such a wimp," Jane scoffed, opening up her brown paper lunch bag to rummage for her sandwich. "I didn't even go into detail about slicing open it open yet. Or just how gooey it was."

Frost held back a gag, looking as though he might actually be sick. Jane only laughed, but Maura felt the need to gently steer the conversation in another direction. "So I see you brought your lunch today," she peaked over at Jane's lunch as she finished unpacking the paper bag. "What do you have?"

"Nothing interesting – just a sandwich and some chips. I can assure you its nowhere near as fancy as yours," Jane answered, glancing over at Maura as she unpacked her Vera Bradley lunch box, unsure what Jeremy had provided for her. "But you can have some if you'd like," Jane further offered. "I mean, I do owe you half a sandwich after all."

Maura smiled, picking up half of the sandwich as Jane pushed it toward her. She examined the sandwich triangle before taking a bite, frowning as she noticed an unfamiliar layer above the peanut butter. "What is that white substance?"

"Fluff." Jane gaped at Maura, as if shocked that there was something Maura did not know. And she looked a bit insulted that Maura appeared to be judging her sandwich.

Maura cocked her head, not familiar with the term. She had never seen such a condiment on a sandwich before. "Light, downy particles of cotton?"

Jane didn't answer for a moment, giving Maura another 'are you serious' eyebrow raise. "It's marshmallow." Maura nodded her head and glanced down at the sandwich again, intrigued that marshmallow apparently came in a spread. Jane watched her continue to examine the sandwich, and further added in a patronizing tone, "And the brown substance is called peanut butter. It's ground up, heavy, oily particles of peanuts." Maura was too busy tasting the sandwich to roll her eyes. "What, they didn't have that in your fancy girls' school?"

"Oh, its really good," Maura ignored the question, immediately taking another bite. The flavors of the peanut butter and fluff melded together perfectly in her mouth, and she was quickly preferring it to the typical PB&J sandwich.

"You are so weird," Jane watched her quickly devour the sandwich.

"Someone's having a love affair with that sandwich," Frost chuckled, and Maura felt herself blush a little as the pair watched her in fascination.

"What?" she murmured, licking the excess fluff off her fingers. "It is really good."

"You certainly have been missing out," Jane agreed, lifting her sandwich to take a bite, but she promptly lowered it upon falling victim to Maura's wistful gaze. "Fine, you take it, you poor deprived creature," she sighed, placing the sandwich into Maura's eager grasp. "But you'd better have something good to give me in return."

* * *

_A/N: So guess who's going on a cruise next week? :D Good news for me, but bad news for you, seeing an update is unlikely, so hopefully you'll still stick with me, despite the wait. Also, I know this is a somewhat slow start, but it does take some time to establish their relationship - I promise I do have some plot twists planned for this that I hopefully will start delving into soon!_

_As always, please let me know what you think. Reviews are to me as fluff is to Maura ;)_


	7. Chapter VII

_A/N: Back on land! I hope you all had a great week, and I apologize again for the wait. There's a Grey's Anatomy quote for all those fans out there, so see if you can pick it out. I hope you enjoy, and thanks for the feedback!_

* * *

Frost leaned up against the locker next to Jane's, tapping his foot somewhat impatiently as Jane rifled through the shelves for the books she'd need for the evening. She threw Frost an annoyed glance, a snide remark on the edge of her lips, but Frost spoke before she could even form the words in her throat. "You know, we should ask Maura if she wants to come down to the station with us," he suggested, peering over his shoulder. Jane automatically followed his gaze, watching Maura collect her own books a few rows down.

Jane watched her for a moment, in her own world as she chose her books thoughtfully, placing them into her designer's bag, a brand that Jane couldn't name but certainly recognized as expensive."Nah, maybe another time," she answered as she swatted a loose strand of hair away from her face, wondering when the heat of August would give way into the pleasant chill of autumn.

"Alright, what's the real problem here?" Frost wheeled around to face her, his eyes matching his accusatory tone. "I know your mom is crazy, but this can't just be all to spite her."

Jane let out a huff, though she looked at Frost a little meekly as she spoke. "It's just – I'm kind of embarrassed to bring Maura there. Or to my home. Not only is my family loud and crazy, but we're not exactly the most well off, either. It's obvious that Maura is swimming in cash – she lives up in that fancy neighborhood where the Fairfields are from, and, you know, her house is probably ten times nicer than ours..." she trailed off, feeling silly as she listened to herself.

"What, do you have a crush on her?" Frost chuckled, though Jane snapped her head up in panic as she heard the words, ready to defend herself, before she recognized the sarcasm in his words. "Seriously, if this were a boy we were talking about, maybe I'd be a little more lenient here – but there's no need to impress her, Jane. Yeah, she's more than well off, but she's your friend." Here, Jane's heart fluttered a little, realizing how true his words were, despite the short amount of time the two had known each other. "The last thing she's gonna do is judge you, so you should stop being so ridiculous."

"Fine," Jane muttered, tossing her bag over her shoulder as she shoved her way down the crowed hall. She stopped in front of Maura's locker, a bit breathless. "Hey," she mumbled, Maura always having the ability to make her flustered, despite her efforts to hide it, and right now, she felt especially uneasy.

"Hi, Jane," Maura smiled at her, clicking her locker shut and slinging her own bag over her shoulder.

"I was, uh, wondering if you were doing anything this afternoon." Jane shoved her hands into her pockets, trying to brush off her obvious self-consciousness.

Maura turned to face her, her hair falling in perfect curls down to her chest, despite the heavy humidity. Though Jane hardly ever paid attention to fashion, she had certainly noticed the figure-hugging floral print dress that Maura was wearing. She felt quite scruffy in her own jean shorts and faded tank, wondering how on earth Maura could have such an effect on her, making Jane worry about things she had hardly ever given heed to previously.

"Just homework, most likely," Maura answered. She looked hopefully up at Jane. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, my mom works down in the coffee shop at the police station," Jane launched the necessary explanation, "and Frost and I like to go hang out there after school. My mom gives us the leftover and broken pastries," she added, realizing too late just how lame it all sounded. Maura would probably have more fun staring at the ceiling in her ornately decorated home. "I mean, it's a good hang out place, and sometimes you overhear some of the cases the guys down there are working on, and that can be pretty neat." She stopped for a breath before she found Maura's eyes.

"I'd love to come. Just let me text Jeremy to tell him I won't be needing a ride," she informed Jane, latching onto the offer much more quickly than Jane anticipated.

Frost emerged behind Jane, giving her a somewhat smug eyebrow raise, and Jane fought the urge to punch him. Once Maura's phone was tucked into her bag, the three left the stuffy school only to be greeted by the even more stifling afternoon sun. "The walk isn't far," Jane quickly assured Maura, finding a shady patch of sidewalk to shield them all from the sun.

"So you two come down to the station often, then?" Maura initiated light conversation as the three panted in the heat.

Jane nodded. "Kinda got used to coming for all those years when my brothers and I were younger and couldn't be home alone. Now, it's just more interesting than home," she concluded with a chuckle.

"Yeah, Jane loves it there," Frost further added. "She's hoping they'll accept her into the force right out of high school." He winked at her, and Jane blushed miserably, as if her life didn't already seem lame enough.

"You want to be a police officer?" Maura asked, seeming intrigued, and Jane could not tell if she was impressed or surprised.

"I wanna be a detective," she corrected. "A homicide detective," she elaborated. "Like I said, you overhear some pretty neat stuff down at the station, and I already can't wait to dig into the big mess of it all."

"It is quite fascinating," Maura agreed. "I myself have considered going into a field that involves forensics."

"No kidding," Jane smiled, suddenly feeling as though her dream career had been validated.

The station was now in view, and the three were silent as they struggled to breathe the thick, humid air for the last stretch of their trek. They climbed the stairs to the main entrance of the station, and Frost held the door open for the pair. They were greeted by the usual polite waves of the officers on duty as they headed for the coffee shop. Frankie was already there, munching on a misshapen muffin as Angela rang up a customer.

"Hey, my man," Frost greeted Frankie with high five, and the younger Rizzoli's face lit up when he noticed the older boy. "Playing hooky today?" He raised an eyebrow, though his grin did not wane.

"Nah, just got out early for a doctor's appointment," Frankie admitted. He quickly averted his attention to Maura, who looked quite stunning, even as she tugged her sweaty hair away from her neck. "Who's your friend, Jane?" he asked, not bothering to hide his shock. Jane had not brought home a female companion since at least the third grade.

"This is Maura," she obligingly introduced, and Maura waved in return, looking quite excited at the prospect of meeting Jane's family. "And Maura, this is my little brother, Frankie."

"It's nice to meet you." Maura extended a hand toward the boy.

Frankie wiped his sticky hand on his jeans, reaching out to return the gesture. "You too. So how much is Jane paying you to put up with her?" he smirked, and Jane watched his eyes scan Maura from head to toe, and Jane had to reluctantly agree that she could still not fathom why someone like Maura continued to express interest in her.

"Pardon me?" Maura cocked her head in confusion.

"Sarcasm, Maura," Jane gently informed her. "Yeah, I know this is a big shocker to you, but I actually do have friends," Jane spat back at Frankie.

"Yes, Jane is quite lovely to spend time with." Maura enthusiastically agreed as she latched her arm onto Jane's, and once again Jane felt the inevitable butterflies settle in her stomach.

Frankie diverted his attention back to Frost. "Wanna go down to the park and shoot some hoops?" he asked hopefully, the boredom of spending the afternoon by himself now apparent.

"I'm in," Frost immediately answered, though he quickly looked toward Jane and Maura. "You guys can always come, too," he quickly extended the invite to the girls as well.

"Janie, who's your friend?" her mother's voice jerked Jane's attention away from her friends before she could respond to Frost's invitation. She inwardly groaned as she caught side of her mother's eager expression. Jane, of course, loved her mother, but she often found it difficult to like her.

"We'll come," Jane immediately answered, grabbing Maura's wrist in attempt to herd her out the door before they could fall victim to her mother's embarrassment.

"Not so fast, Jane," her mother warned. "I need to ask you a little favor, and I really would like to meet your friend. You're very pretty, dear," she addressed Maura, stepping out from behind the counter. Frankie and Frost left without so much as a protest, and Frost mouthed for Jane to join them when her mother was finished with her as the two slid out the door.

"Thank you," Maura dutifully answered, letting her wrist drop from Jane's grasp. Jane wished her mother would stop talking.

"I'm sorry that my daughter is so rude," her mother obviously did not receive the silent vibes Jane had been sending her. "I'm Mrs. Rizzoli," she introduced herself, wiping both hands on her apron before extending one in Maura's direct.

"I'm Maura Isles. It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura graciously took Angela's hand.

"Now here's a girl with some manners, Janie." Angela glared over at Jane as she grasped Maura's hand securely. "Are you a friend from school, Maura?" she clarified.

"Yes, we met on the first day. I've never attended public school before, and Jane was quite welcoming," Maura assured her.

"Ma, can we stop with the twenty questions and go now?" Jane interrupted with a whine, already itching toward the door.

"I'd like you to bring Detective Korsak this class of water first - he asked for it ages ago, but I haven't had a chance to bring it over to him yet," Angela requested before turning her attention back to Maura.

Jane was about to beckon Maura to follow when she promptly remembered her lie at Adam Fairfield's wake, recalling that she had introduced Korsak as her uncle. She wasn't ready to dig her way out of that lie yet, so she instead (quite reluctantly) left Maura in the clutches of her mother as she took the styrofoam cup in her grasp. She made her way toward the back of the station, finding Korsak's desk easily.

"Got something for you," she spoke, earning his attention as she handed the cup to the detective.

"Oh, hi, Jane. Thanks," he smiled a bit absentmindedly, looking up from a mountain of paperwork as he took the cup from her grasp.

Jane peeked over his shoulder, eager to get a closer look, the urgency of saving Maura put on hold She only caught a glimpse before Korsak snapped the file shut. _Gail Yeager, _she repeated the name to herself. _Age thirty-two. _It took her a moment to conjure up the image of the woman she had seen so briefly. She was about to question Korsak, seeing what information she could wheedle out of him, when she was distracted by a shuffling under Korsak's desk, followed by a small whimper. "What was that?"

"Nothing, you should probably head back to the coffee shop," Korsak answered too quickly, but not before Jane noticed a tiny snout poke out from his lap.

"Your 'nothing' looks like it's about to make an appearance," Jane raised a eyebrow, watching as the small dog wriggled itself into open view. It was a small terrier mix with a mop of dirty blonde fur, and it wagged it's tail eagerly at the sight of Jane

"Fine, fine," Korsak sighed. "She's why I needed the water." He picked her up, careful to shield her from open view. He held her toward Jane, who took a small step backward.

"God, she smells awful," Jane coughed a little, catching a whiff of the filthy animal. The little dog only continued to squirm, anxious to leave Korsak's binding grasp.

Korsak frowned, looking sympathetically down at the animal. He patted her head, nudging her a little closer to Jane. She reluctantly caved, taking the energetic dog from Korsak's grasp, nearly gagging from the smell. "Where has she been?" she choked out, holding the dog an arm's length away.

"Found her by the side of the road this morning. Poor thing was looking at me with the huge brown eyes, and I couldn't just turn away. Isn't the right, Jo?" His voice raised an octave higher as he talked to the dog sweetly.

"Joe? I thought you said it was a girl." Jane shifted so she could get a better grip on the squirming dog. If she disregarded the smell, the dog was sort of cute.

"Jo, as in short for Josephine – Jo Friday's what I've been calling her," Korsak explained, reaching to pat her on the head. Jo licked his hand, and Jane had to grasp her tighter. It was apparent she wanted to be anywhere but up right now.

"Why'd you bring her here with you?" Jane asked, knowing very well that animals, with the exception of service dogs, were not allowed in the station.

"Can't have pets at my apartment, and I can keep a better eye on her here. I was also hoping to find someone willing to take her home – didn't want to have to bring the poor thing to a shelter." He glanced up hopefully at Jane, his eyes saying what he was too tactful to request with words.

"Oh, no, don't you even think about it," Jane warned, ready to hand Jo back to Korsak. "There is no way in hell I'm taking her home with me."

"Hey, I didn't say anything," Korsak reasoned with her, raising both his hands in defense, though his eyes gave her one final plea. "Though I would appreciate it if you took her outside for just a little. I need to get some work done, and she's getting pretty antsy." He handed her the cup of water she had just delivered.

Jane rolled her eyes. "Fine, though don't blame me if she runs off." She clamped the wriggling dog against her side, trying her best to shield her from view as she left.

"She won't," Korsak chimed after her. "Thanks, Jane." He let out a distinct chuckle as Jane rounded the corner. Jane rolled her eyes once again.

The coffee shop was nearly vacant as Jane crossed through it. One customer waited at the register, and Jane was thankful to see her mother had disappeared to the back, leaving Maura at one of the tables. She caught sight of Jo's nose poking out from the crevice of Jane's elbow, and she hopped down from her stool, curiously approaching Jane.

"Terrier mix," she noticed, patting Jo's head softly, and Jane noticed her wince slightly from the smell. "Why do you have her?"

"Detective Korsak found her this morning and needed me to take her out - he's got a soft spot for anything with fur," she explained, handing the squirming dog off to Maura, who laughed a little as Jo wiggled in her grasp.

"She's letting off quite a horrific odor," Maura stated, patting Jo gently to calm her.

"Yeah, but she's just too damn cute for me to really care," Jane laughed a little, reluctantly warming up to the lovable creature.

"Her small features and over-sized eyes trigger a hormonal response in humans. It's autonomic. It's what keeps us from eating them," Maura explained, smiling down at Jo. "Does she have a name?"

"Korsak's been calling her Jo Friday. I think Jo suits her," Jane concluded with a shrug.

Her mother appeared from the back with a cup of coffee in tow, and after ringing up her customer, who had been looking suspiciously over at the girls as they concealed the dog, Angela averted her attention back to the girls. "Jane, thanks for doin - what in heavens name do you have there?" Maura held Jo a little more tightly in her grasp as Angela narrowed her eyes at the girls. "Get that filthy animal out of my shop immediately!"

"Ma, but Korsak wanted me to watch her," she played the only card she knew would work. At the mention of the Detective's name, Angela's expression softened. "She's a real sweetie, and he wants me to bring her home with me." He had won, just as Jane was certain he knew he would, but as she caught sight of her mother's face, anger edging her eyes, but not quite sure how to trump the Detective's request, Jane smiled a bit smugly, knowing that she had won as well.


	8. Chapter VIII

"Holy moly," Jane let out a breath, unable to contain her shock as she entered the foyer of Maura's home.

Maura watched her, a bit intrigued as she tried to see her home through Jane's eyes. Maura had grown up in wealth, and her peers from Willard Academy had experienced an upbringing as sophisticated and luxurious as her, so Maura typically did not think twice about the commodious lifestyle that had been bestowed upon her. She smiled a bit hesitantly, unsure of the appropriate response as Jane eyes darted from the grand staircase to the dangling chandelier, marveling at the expensive décor. Explaining the history or significance of each item seemed pretentious. Brushing it off as nothing seemed rude.

"Would you like to go up to my room?" Maura offered, snapping Jane's attention back to her as she reached for the mahogany banister.

"Uh, yeah, sounds good," Jane muttered in reply, looking a little eager to see more of Maura's house.

The project they were working on in Anatomy had given the two a good excuse to meet up after school, and Jane had quickly pounced on the idea of working at Maura's house.

"My family's just loud and distracting anyway," Jane had reasoned, though Maura wouldn't have minded. From the brief time she had spent with Jane's family, she could agree that loud _was _an accurate description, but they seemed lovable and welcoming all the same. They were a real family – a foreign concept in Maura's world – and Maura dared to hope that she would get to experience just a fraction of what Jane had had her whole life.

Jane was still ogling as Maura opened the door to her bedroom. "Jesus," she muttered, her eyes darting around the spacious and well-decorated room, her gaze finally landing on Maura's queen-sized canopy bed. Again, Maura tactfully said nothing, instead placing her own bag by the bed and offering to take Jane's as well.

Jane slid her bag off her shoulder, her eyes landing on Bass's cage positioned by the far side of Maura's bed. "Whoa, what is that?" She inched herself closer for a better look.

"Geochelone sulcata – African spurred tortoise," she further added for Jane's comprehension, though she still looked moderately confused as to why such a creature was in Maura's bedroom. "He's my pet," Maura bent down to open the cage, giving Bass free reign of the room. "His name is Bass."

"What, like the beer?" Jane scoffed, crouching down as Bass peered out of his shell.

"No, as in William M. Bass, the forensic anthropologist who founded the famous body farm," Maura stated, reaching to pick up a strawberry from the plate Jeremy had brought for him this afternoon. "Partial to British strawberries," she added with a smile, gently coaxing Bass from his cage with the piece of fruit.

"He's a...great pet. Really interactive, I bet." Jane raised an eyebrow as Bass refused the strawberry, instead tucking his head back into his shell.

"Oh, they are utterly fascinating." Maura missed the sarcasm in Jane's remark. "I've had him since he was like, this big," she estimated the distance between her thumb and pointer finger. She frowned when he would not emerge from his shell, so she replaced the strawberry back on the plate, instead averting her attention back to Jane. "What would you like to do? Get started on our project? Oh, and are you hungry? Because Jeremy could always make us something." It was not like Maura to become flustered, but she had so rarely been the hostess that she found herself a little nervous about entertaining Jane.

"Nah, not that hungry yet," Jane answered, leaning up against the edge of Maura's bed. She looked a little hesitant, as if she were wary of touching anything in Maura's immaculate home. "And whatever, really. What do you usually do after school?"

"Well," Maura began thoughtfully, "it really just depends. Sometimes I have piano lessons, other times I just begin my homework. I also like to go for walks – the weather is pretty nice today if you'd like to do that. The wooded area behind my house are a great place for a hike," she offered.

"Yeah, that sounds good," Jane agreed.

"Okay!" Maura smiled, glad that she was successfully passing the time. "Let me just change first." She began to peel off her clothes, draping her skirt over the edge of her bed. Attending an all girl's school had given her confidence and ease when changing in the presence of other girls, so it wasn't often that she thought twice about it. However, just as Jane often was in the locker room, she looked a bit uncomfortable as Maura stripped down to her bra and panties. She noticed the hint of blush in Jane's cheeks as she turned her gaze slowly away, and Maura felt the heat automatically rise to her own face as well. She tugged on a pair of shorts and a tank top, wishing Jane would speak and make the moment more natural, but instead she switched between stealing glances and darting her eyes away until Maura was fully clothed.

"Ready?" Maura finally asked, breaking the heavy silence as she tied her shoes.

"Yep," Jane answered, looking more at ease. Perhaps because she had two brothers explained her some of her uneasiness when it came to having a female friend. Perhaps it was her own masculine tendencies she had embraced that caused her to react in such a manner. Perhaps it was a different reason entirely, the same reason that had Maura blushing again as she glanced at Jane through her lashes, and that reason was not a topic Maura had fully allowed herself to delve into yet.

She shook her thoughts back to the moment, leading Jane back down the stairs and out through her back porch. The weather was more pleasant that it had been in the past weeks, a hint of breeze in the air, the humidity less apparent. There had not been a natural path cut into vast wooded area behind Maura's house, but she had long since created her own from the countless times she had sought the solitude and serenity the forest offered her.

"Wow, it's pretty out here," Jane marveled, her feet crunching against the twigs as the pair became consumed by the trees. It was hard to imagine that the city was so nearby when the marks of civilization became scarcer as they two trod on.

They were comfortably silent for a while, Maura leading the way through the underbrush, and Jane enjoying the beauty of nature she rarely had the opportunity to see. It was Maura who broke the silence, warning Jane not to step in a cluster of Toxicodendron radicans.

"Toxic-radio-whatey-what?" Jane attempted to repeat, quickly diverting her gait about a foot to the right.

"Poison ivy," Maura answered in Layman's terms, touching Jane's arm gently and steering her a hair further to the right. She left her hand on Jane's arm for a prolonged moment, always delighting in the way her skin felt against hers.

"What do girl friends typically chat about?" Maura wondered out loud, not having much to compare her friendship with Jane to.

Jane let out a snort, as if it was ridiculous to even imply that the same code would apply to the likes of them. But she answered nevertheless. "Girly stuff. And boys, I guess." She shrugged. She didn't have much experience in the girl friend department either.

"Is there anybody you have a crush on?" Maura asked the question that Jane had brought upon herself.

"No," she answered too quickly, viciously swatting a fern out of her way.

"No?" Maura further prodded, not convinced. She ducked under a low-lying branch, glancing over her shoulder to find Jane's gaze. "Not Frost?" Her eyes sparked as she threw out the suggestion.

"Oh, hell no!" Jane answered, completely mortified by the mere idea. "Frost is like a brother to me. That's just..ew. No way," she vehemently denied it. Maura looked a bit disappointed that Jane had no more gossip to share, though her face did perk up when Jane returned the question. "What about you?"

"Oh, there's a handful of individuals I find intriguing and attractive," she began, a bit vaguely. "I do have my eyes on Ian Faulkner," she concluded, finding Jane's eyes once again as gaged her reaction.

"That exchange student in our gym class?" she clarified, wrinkling her nose in slight disgust, and Maura had to wonder what Jane found unsatisfactory about him. "Isn't he Scottish or something?"

"Australian," Maura corrected. "I suppose it is mostly the accent that intrigues me, but he is quite an attractive male specimen, don't you think?"

"This oak tree here is an attractive specimen, but you don't see me eager to date it," Jane scoffed, obviously a bit bothered, again leaving Maura to ponder the source of her reaction.

"I didn't say I necessarily wanted to date him. I merely find him attractive," Maura reasoned with her. "And this is an elm tree – look how the surface of the bark is deeply furrowed with broad obliquely intersecting ridges." She traced the wooded pattern of the tree that Jane had referred to.

Jane rolled her eyes, letting out a heavy sigh.

"What else do girls talk about?" Maura further prodded, quite easily ignoring Jane's annoyance.

"I don't know, Maura," Jane snapped, a bit unnecessarily, and Maura recoiled slightly, Jane's irritation now stinging. Jane's expression softened immediately, and she looked at Maura apologetically. "Why do you care so much? We don't have to be those frilly girls who gush over boys and their dream weddings," she reminded her.

"Ooh, let's do that one!" Maura exclaimed in delight, completely disregarding the negative tone in which Jane had referred to the topic.

"Are you serious?" Jane groaned, obviously regretting her words. "Do I really look like the kind of girl to even _think_ about that?"

"Oh, come on, every girl has a wedding fantasy," Maura argued, a bit defensively. Maura had planned various weddings that stemmed from a handful of scenarios over the years. Planning multiple outcomes of her future had been the way she had passed the time without a playmate to fill the long and lonely days.

"Yeah, when they're like, five." Jane was obviously not interested in this topic, but it only made Maura all the more curious. Even if she did not consciously have a dream wedding scenario on mind, Maura refused to believe it was something she had never given a thought to.

"The only part of my wedding that I'm looking forward to is the cake," Jane briefly humored Maura with a chuckle. "I'd get like ten layers on mine."

"My cake would be hazel nut almond." Maura quickly latched on to this thread of the topic. "Chocolate ganache," she continued, pondering for a moment before adding, "Maybe mocha butter cream."

"Holy crap, you really do have this all planned, don't you?" Jane was a bit incredulous, and by the look on her face, she could tell that it had not even crossed her mind that she could choose a flavor more complicated than either chocolate or vanilla.

"Fantasy weddings are fun," Maura protested, just a little indignant. She found herself excited to have the opportunity to share her ideas with another person for the first time, so she continued, despite Jane's obvious aversion to the topic. "I'd have a silk charmeuse dress with an empire waist and a twenty foot train, and I'd have the ceremony on the cliffs of Santorini, right above a volcano."

"And what if it erupted?" Jane raised an eyebrow, now appearing more amused than annoyed.

"I'd white check for seismic activity," Maura promptly answered.

"Of course," Jane scoffed. "And who exactly are you marrying in this outlandish fantasy?"

"It's a fantasy – it's allowed to be outlandish," Maura reminded her. "And for the longest time, I was convinced that Antonio Benivieni would be my dream husband," she muttered with a light sigh.

"Favorite actor?" Jane guessed.

"Oh, goodness, no," Maura found herself laughing at Jane's ignorance, though she had to remind herself that not everyone was as well read as she was. "He was a fifteenth century Florentine physician who pioneered the use of the autopsy."

"Wow, and I thought people who wanted to marry celebrities were crazy," Jane snorted.

"Yes, it is a shame that he lived nearly six hundred years ago," Maura muttered a bit wistfully. The two had gone quite deep into the woods by this point, and Maura had to mindful of the direction she was leading them as they began to edge on territory that Maura hadn't had much of a chance to explore. "You must have some sort of dream wedding," Maura dared to prod one last time.

"Fine, maybe I've thought about it. Just a little though," Jane made sure to emphasize. She let out sigh, looking a bit bashful. "Nah, never mind. You'll just laugh."

"I will not!" Maura quickly retorted. "I promise, Jane. No dream wedding is ridiculous," she encouraged.

"Fine, fine," Jane sighed. She kicked a dandelion with the toe of her shoe, watching the seeds scatter across the forest floor. "I know it's dumb, but I thought it would be kind of cool to get married in Fenway Park, right over home plate." She laughed a little, but Maura did not, and Jane meekly continued, "I'd wear a Red Sox jersey instead of a dress, and instead of rice, our guests would throw peanuts at us – see, really stupid..." she muttered, trailing off.

"Oh, no, I find it quite cute, actually," Maura reassured her with a smile, stopping as she noticed a large fallen tree blocking their path.

"Ugh, that's even worse," Jane groaned, climbing over the tree without a thought. She mindlessly offered Maura her hand, and though Maura was quite capable of crossing over the trunk herself, she graciously accepted, smiling as soon as her hand was nestled inside of Jane's.

"Okay, endearing, perhaps?" Maura tired a different adjective, but Jane immediately made a face. "Well, regardless, I think it suits you." Here Jane's expression softened into a small grin. "And who's your lucky groom?"

"No one in particular," Jane answered easily. She was now leading the pair instead, and Maura began to wonder when they should turn around. Maura looked at her with an expression of disbelief. "No, really, I can't say there's really anyone I've ever considered marrying. The figure standing next to me in my fantasy is pretty ambiguous – I figure I might not have met that person yet," she shrugged, though she shot a glance back at Maura.

"A valid answer," Maura smiled back at her, Jane's gaze causing an eruption of butterflies in her stomach. The pair was silent again, continuing their trek. Jane seemed to enjoy her spot as the leader, so Maura reasoned that they could continue on for a little while longer.

"Wait, I think I've got a twig in my shoe," Maura muttered after a few minutes, hobbling over as she stood on one foot, yanking her shoe from her foot and shaking it out. Jane had continued on a few feet, veering slightly to the left. "Okay," Maura called after Jane, but Jane did not acknowledge her.

Instead, she stared at the ground in front of her, and Maura realized that something had stopped her in her tracks. The forest had gone strangely silent, and Maura felt a chill creep up her spine. "What is it, Jane?"

Jane did not answer. Maura cautiously approached her, stepping up softly behind her as she followed her gaze. Jane kept her eyes locked ahead, finding her voice.

"It's a body."

* * *

_A/N: Thanks again for all your feedback guys. I just want you to know how much I appreciate it when you take the time to review :]_


	9. Chapter IX

Once Jane had recovered from her shock, she dared to inch closer to the body, curiosity and intrigue quickly outweighing her fear. The body was partially concealed in the dense underbrush, and Jane edged her way to the right to obtain a better view.

It was a young woman, looking serene despite her untimely fate. Jane was startled to realize that she wasn't wearing any clothes, though her bare body adorned with a splay of leaves, the laying out of her body almost gruesomely artistic. Though neither of them spoke it aloud, the word 'murder' danced fearfully, yet tempestuously in their minds. People did not just lay their own bodies out so gracefully in the depths of the woods before breathing their last, and it was obviously not the doings of a rogue animal. She felt Maura pad softly up behind her, and she instinctively lifted her arm to shield Maura as she neared the body.

"It's okay, Jane," she muttered gently. Jane finally ripped her eyes away from the body, instead finding Maura's steady eyes. She took in a breath and nodded.

Jane crouched down for a better look, her eyes sweeping to the woman's face. She was assaulted by a flash of recognition, though she couldn't place it immediately. Chin length fair hair, wide blue eyes. "I know who she is," Jane finally whispered softly.

"Oh, Jane," Maura's voice was thick with sympathy. She felt her hand against the skin of her arm, rubbing comforting circles. It was a wildly inappropriate situation to feel such butterflies in her stomach, but she did nevertheless, and it took her a moment to gather her thoughts so she could further explain.

"No, it's not like that," she assured Maura. "I don't know her – I just recognize her. When we were down at the station the other day, I saw her file out on Korsak's desk. She's been missing." The girls turned their attention back to her lifeless form, and Jane racked her mind as she tried to recall her name. "Gail Yeager," she finally remembered, letting out a breath.

The two delicately inched forward, neither reacting with as much trepidation as they knew they should. Jane had imagined a scenario similar to this too many times to merely let the opportunity slip through her fingers, and she could only imagine that Maura's complex mind was teeming with a curiosity that outweighed her sense of fear as well. As they hovered over the body, neither of them had to remind the other not to touch the body. They both knew that their interference could spoil forensic evidence, and the two soaked in each detail of their gruesome discovery as speculated what unfortunate series of events could have brought about her demise.

"It's odd how she's laid out so meticulously," Maura finally noted out loud, cocking her head thoughtfully as she continued to assess the body.

"Yeah, it's almost like she laid out for a nap," Jane muttered, her eyes scanning the length of the body again. "How long do you think she's been dead for?"

Maura chewed on her lower lip in concentration, and Jane watched her eyes slowly survey the body. "Judging by the lack of decay, I'd say no more than thirty-six hours, but that is just an estimate," she added.

The air seemed to become a hair chillier as the girls realized just how fresh this crime scene was. A twig snapped in the distance, and both of them jerked their heads, hearts pounding furiously. Maura reached for Jane's hand, rubbing her palm gently with her thumb. "It's okay," she murmured again. "I'm fairly certain it was a small animal – the footing sounded too light for a human," she reasoned, putting them both at ease. Jane let out the breath she was holding, but she kept her hand in Maura's.

"Do you think that whoever did this is still close by?" Jane dared the speak the words that flashed through both of their minds.

Maura let out a heavy breath. "This body wasn't left here by mistake, and I'd wager she'd have been concealed much better if the person had meant to hide her," Maura spoke slowly. "And look how nicely she's been cleaned up as well." Jane followed her pointed finger to the wound on her neck, easily the source of her death, though it had been tended to so well that it was almost hard to imagine her neck spewing with blood from whatever weapon had inflicted it upon her. "It's almost like they intend to come back."

"Blech, necrophilia," Jane immediately spoke Maura's implications, winkling her nose, and Maura nodded gravely. Jane felt goosebumps rise to her skin, finally aware of reality of the danger they were in. "What should we do?"

"We need to inform an officer down at the station," Maura stated calmly.

"Do you have your phone?" Jane asked hopefully, knowing that it would be difficult to navigate their way back to this exact spot, and the time it would take them to walk back home to make the call would lose them precious time.

Maura nodded, producing her cell from her pocket. "Should we call 911?" Maura offered the simplest solution.

"Let me call my mom and see if Korsak's down at the station," Jane suggested instead. "I wanna let him know first so he can decide how he wants to handle this."

Maura nodded again, handing Jane the phone. She rose, stepping a fair distance away from the body. Her mother picked up on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Ma, it's me," she spoke, a little too fast. "Is Korsak around?" She hoped she sounded casual enough, despite the urgency seeping into her words.

"Jane? Where are you? And where are you calling from?" her mother ignored her request, more concerned about Jane's well-being.

"I'm fine, Ma. Just out with Maura – calling from her phone. Can I please talk to Korsak now?" she pleaded. She rolled her eyes at Maura, who managed a tiny grin of sympathy.

"You're making me worried, Jane." Jane fought the urge to scream. "Why do you need to talk to him?"

"Uh, well," she looked wildly toward Maura, her eyes begging for the excuse she should've planned ahead of time, but Maura merely shrugged, looking apologetic. "It's about one of his cases," she sighed, a little defeated, but she figured if she stayed vague enough, she wouldn't have to inform her mother that she was out in the middle of the woods with a dead body. "We were talking about it the other day, and I think I may have a lead for him."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Janie, you have to stop bothering him with all this nonsense. I know all this detective work makes you excited, but it's just not a game – you should be glad he humors you as much as he does already."

Now Jane truly contemplated screaming, but she forced herself to take in a deep breath. "Please, Ma. Yeah, maybe some of it me dreaming, but I think I've really got something. Wouldn't it be better to be safe rather than sorry? These are murders we're talking about." Jane nearly regretted adding her last words, and she felt a little uneasy as she glanced back at the body again.

"That's exactly why you shouldn't be getting involved," her mother tutted, and Jane dug the toe of her shoe roughly into the ground, clenching her teeth as she reigned her frustration in. "But since you're so insistent, I'll let you play your game. Just don't make a habit out of this – you're a fourteen-year-old girl, Jane, and it's best you remember that." Keeping her teeth clamped together, she waited until she heard Korsak on the other line.

"Jane?" he asked. "Is everything okay?"

Jane was ready to spill their discovery, but she took in a deep breath, taking the necessary precautions first. "Is my mother still listening?"

"Yes," he answered.

"Okay, it would be best if she didn't hear this – and please don't freak out, but could you ask her to go get you a coffee or something? Just tell her you'll bring her phone back to her in a minute," she requested, hoping that he'd take her seriously.

"Okay," he muttered, and she heard the sound of muffled voices in the background for a moment as he honored her request. "Jane?" he finally spoke.

"Yeah, is she gone?"

"Yes, though I will warn you it won't take her long, so you'd better say what you have to say," he informed her.

Jane took in a deep breath, trying not to get ahead of herself. "So I'm over at a friend's house – she lives over in Beacon Hill," she added quickly. "And we were out for a walk in the woods – pretty far out; there's not a lot of paths back here," she realized she sounded quite jumbled and unprofessional, but she carried on nevertheless. "Anyway, we stumbled upon a body while we were out here." She stopped, waiting for Korsak to answer, but she was greeted by silence. "I'm pretty sure it's Gail Yeager."

This earned a response. "How do you know about Gail Yeager?" Korsak asked suspiciously.

"I saw the file on your desk the other day," Jane admitted somewhat sheepishly. "When you gave me Jo – I caught a glimpse of her name and picture."

"You're sure, Jane?" he confirmed, not knowing quite how to react to this phone call. "You're not just making this all up?"

Jane was wounded by his distrust, but she had to remind herself that he was experiencing shock himself from the unexpected nature of her call. "I promise you," Jane pleaded with him. "I would never make something like this up. Even if it's not her, it's a body, and we're almost positive it's murder."

He was silent again for a brief moment. "You're up in Beacon Hill?" Korsak clarified, and Jane confirmed it.

"Yeah, in that big wooded area up there. I'd say we're a few miles in," Jane added as helpfully as she could.

"Is there anyone else there with you?"

"Just me and my friend."

He was silent for a moment. "Are you safe?"

"I-I think so," Jane stuttered slightly. "I mean, we've been hear almost fifteen minutes now, and there's no sign of anyone." _No sign of the killer. _She felt a little panicked again.

"Okay, Jane, here's what I'm going to have you do – as much as I want to get you out of there as fast as I can, having you two wandering around out there makes me even more nervous. We're gonna track the GPS in your friend's phone, so I want you two to stay put. Keep your eyes open, and do not touch the body," he emphasized. "We are going to get there as fast as we possibly can," he promised. "Now if anything happens, you run, do you hear me?" Jane heart now slammed against her chest, and she found it difficult to find her voice. "Take the phone with you and run – it's more important that we find you than this body right now. You got that?"

"Yes, Detective," she muttered, nervously playing with the hem of her shirt.

"And Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you. You're incredibly brave. Please be careful. My team and I will be there as fast as we can," he assured her again.

"Thanks," she mumbled, feeling a little more at ease. "And Korsak? Please don't tell my mom." Her mother would probably try to get a helicopter sent to the location within in minutes if she discovered Jane's whereabouts.

"I'll only inform her if there's something she needs to worry about," he assured her. "But Jane, you're gonna be okay."

She nodded into the phone. "See you soon."

"Be safe," he reminded her. "Bye, Jane."

Jane lowered the phone from her ear, handing it back to Maura, who promptly placed it securely in her pocket. She looked to Jane, waiting for the verdict.

"Korsak's on his way with his team – they're gonna track our location using the GPS on your phone. He said just to sit tight unless something happens," she summed up for her, finding a sizable branch a few feet away from the body to sit on. Maura joined her, scooting close to her, and Jane took solace in her proximately.

Another twig snapped not far off, though the girls did not jump as much this time. "I wonder if he's out there," Jane muttered softly, her eyes scanning the dense forest that surrounded them.

Maura didn't need Jane to clarify who the 'he' referred to. She took Jane's hand in hers again, trying to diminish the fear that seemed to be increasing rather than fading. "I think he would have exposed himself already if he's out there and means any harm," Maura answered honestly. "And if he does plan to come back, I reason he'd wait until nightfall. These woods may be secluded, but they're not empty," she reminded her. Their hands remained loosely intertwined as they rested on the surface of the branch.

"What do you think happened?" Jane further spoke, unsure if speaking their fears aloud ultimately eased or heightened them.

"There could be a plethora of reasons," Maura shrugged, her eyes falling on the body once again. "I suspect an individual with some degree of mental illness, based on the evidence of necrophilia - a serial killer." Jane licked her dry lips. "But that's just speculation. Your guess is as good as mine," she concluded, letting out a small sigh.

Jane nodded, wondering how long it would take Korsak to arrive on the scene. They'd had to do a fair amount of walking, seeing as their location was not accessible to roads. It would probably be a while, and Jane tried not to be anxious.

"I'm glad that you were out with me today," Maura spoke softly, looking down at their hands, which were still locked together. "I'm not sure how I would have handled this alone," she admitted.

Jane squeezed her hand softly. "Yeah, I'm glad I'm here, too." The thought of Maura stumbling upon a dead body on one of her solitary walks shot a shiver up Jane's spine. She was glad to be here with Maura, though she wished she at least had a gun or some other sort of defense, realizing that she would be quite helpless and useless if the killer was still lurking in their midst.

The girls spoke rarely as they waited for Korsak and his team to arrive, and when they finally heard the crunch of the underbrush and the comforting sound of voices, Jane felt the knot in her stomach loosen. The pair rose from the branch, dusting off their shorts as they watched the detective and the others come into full view.

"Isn't that your uncle?" Maura asked curiously as Korsak spotted the girls.

"Er, not exactly," Jane muttered quickly, inwardly cursing herself for her silly lie. "I'll explain later," she promised. She stepped up toward Korsak, a look of relief washing over his face.

"You're okay?" he clarified, and Jane nodded, watching as the team began to assess the crime scene. "I'm going to send you two back home with Officer Cavanaugh then." He motioned toward a man around his own age, who nodded toward the girls.

"Can't we stay for a little?" Jane blurted before she could consider her words. She felt much safer now, in the presence of trained officers and detectives, and she found she was curious to see what they else discovered as they assessed the crime scene. After all, she had been the one to find the body - it only seemed fair that she should merely get to watch the process.

"I'm afraid not, Jane," Korsak muttered apologetically.

Jane watched with slight envy as his team collected traces of evidence and gave the body a full examination. "About thirty six hours," she heard the medical examiner confirmed after holding up a vial of fluid. Jane smiled a bit smugly. Maura had concluded that without any tests.

She let out a small huff as Korsak directed her and Maura toward the waiting officer, feeling young and inferior, despite how much their discovery had aided the force.

"We're lucky you ladies found the body when you did. It could have taken us months otherwise," Officer Cavanaugh spoke appreciatively, and Jane felt a little less useless.

She smirked as she glanced up at him. "Yeah, you know, just one of our after school hobbies."

Cavanaugh chuckled. "Let's hope you don't make a habit out of it. I'd advise you two stay out of the woods in the near future." Jane and Maura both nodded solemnly at his request.

It didn't take long for them to reach his cruiser, and Jane realized that route that they had taken from Maura's house had taken them much longer. Jane let out another sigh as she slumped over in the back seat of the car, and Maura patted her knee sympathetically, a glint in her eyes that let her know that she, too, was disappointed that they weren't permitted to stay at the scene of the crime.

Maura gave Cavanaugh her address, and it was only minutes before he pulled up in her driveway. "If girls need anything, don't hesitate to call the station," Cavanaugh offered politely as the girls climbed out of the cruiser. Jane did her best to conceal her snort, planning to call the station later with a request for donuts, before thinking better of it. They were doing their best to treat their fourteen-year-old witnesses with the respect and concern they would offer to anyone. Jane smiled and gave Cavanaugh a wave as he pulled out into the street.

Jeremy was waiting anxiously at the door as the ascended the front walkway. "Is everything okay, Miss Isles?" He glanced nervously at the cruiser as it disappeared down the street.

"Yes, everything is fine now. It's just that we fo-"

"We got a little lost and that officer offered us a ride home." Jane quickly cut her off, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention to the case. Korsak and his team would reveal what the public needed to know in due time.

Maura looked a little uneasy, but she nodded, and Jeremy nodded in return, leaving the girls to scurry up the steps to Maura's room.

"What a day," Jane grinned, falling back against Maura's bed, letting her feet dangle off the side. It was easy to forget the fear and danger of the situation when they were tucked away in the safety of Maura's bedroom.

Maura collapsed beside her, turning over to offer Jane a small smile. "Shall we work on our anatomy project now?"

"How can you think of homework at a time like this? I'm itching to solve this murder," Jane protested, going over each detail she remembered in her head.

"We hardly have enough evidence to even _begin_ to make educated speculations," Maura laughed a little, and Jane scowled, though she knew Maura was only being realistic. "Tell me though, why did you lie to me about Detective Korsak being your uncle?"

Jane let out a sigh. "It was just easier, I guess, than trying to explain to you that I had begged a detective to let me come along to gather evidence at Adam Fairfield's wake. Guess I was a little embarrassed - there you were, up with the richest people in Boston, and I had pathetically tagged along because I've got this crazy idea in my mind that I'm actually gonna be a detective someday."

"It's not a crazy idea, Jane," Maura told her, no tone of mockery in her voice. "Look at what you handled today - I can assure you that none of those officers had encountered a situation like that when they were your age. And if they had, I doubt they would have stayed as collected as you did." Maura turned her head, and Jane found her eyes, undone by the sincerity in her expression.

"You kept your cool out there today, too," Jane offered Maura her praise as well. "We make a pretty good team, huh?" She remembered muttering the same phrase during their sheep heart dissection not very long ago, but the words suddenly rang with such truth. Jane had never imagined she'd find a female companion so suited for her - one that defied so many irritating teenage girl stereotypes and had the patience to put up with Jane and her somewhat unconventional attitudes toward life. While in many ways the two girls were exact opposites, they had connected in a way that Jane was certain not many people ever had the privilege of finding at any point in their lives.

Maura smiled over at her again, reaching to pat her hand lightly as she affirmed Jane's thoughts. "You never have to worry about being embarrassed around me," she assured Jane. "Just be the wonderful Jane I know you are, and that's all you'll ever need to be."

If Jane had previously felt butterflies from Maura's presence, they were nothing in comparison to the burst of pride that rocked through her as she tried in vain to wipe the goofy grin off her face. "Come on, let's get started on that project before you have a conniption that we haven't started any school work yet."

* * *

_A/N: Ah, young love ;) _

_I'm glad you guys enjoyed my little twist at the end of the last chapter. There will be more twists to come, though Jane and Maura's budding relationship will still remain the main focus of this fic, I assure you. Thanks again for your feedback, guys. You rock :]_


	10. Chapter X

_A/N: So sorry for the wait. I needed a tiny break from this story, so I began working on another little multichapter fic as well if you're interested. Of course, as soon as I started working on this again, I had to pick up an extra shift at work, and then two days ago we lost internet connection so I couldn't upload. But here it is, so thank you for your patience :]_

* * *

"Maura! It's so good to see you!"

"Ma, please don-" It was too late. Angela had already engulfed Maura in an overly enthusiastic hug. Jane cringed as she watched Maura's eyes widen uncomfortably as Angela embraced her for a few seconds too long.

"Hello, Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura greeted politely, taking a step back, her cheeks a little red from the unexpected contact. Jane took in a breath, reminding herself that it would only be more embarrassing if she verbally assaulted her mother in front of Maura.

Jane her the familiar click of nails against the floor, watching as Jo skidded to a stop in front of Maura's feet, looking expectantly up at the girl. Maura smiled, bending down to pat the eager terrier.

"Maura, we're _so _happy you could come," Angela gushed, taking Maura's belongings and placing them at the base of the steps. "You know, Janie never has sleepovers, and she's been so excited about this-"

"Ma," Jane interrupted, her irritation snapping, and she reached for Maura's hand. "Maura and I are going upstairs now."

"Not so fast," Angela protested, herding the girls into the kitchen "I've just finished dinner, and I hardly think that Maura could say no to a home cooked Italian meal," she boasted with a wink.

Maura, of course, politely smiled in return, and Jane shot her an apologetic glance, which she predicted she'd be doing quite a bit of as the evening wore on. The table was laden with a huge pot of spaghetti and meatballs, a salad, and garlic bread, and Jane watched Maura's eyes grow larger at the sheer amount of food.

"You can sit here," Jane muttered, pulling out the chair next to her own. Maura nodded, her face a bit flushed. She'd probably never experienced a family dinner like this, and Jane felt badly that she had to fall victim to her unpredictable family.

Frankie waved at Maura, a smile of recognition on his face, and Maura smiled in return. Her father had his checkbook out beside his plate, and her mother shot him death glares as she attempted to drop a hint without causing a scene, for which Jane was grateful. She didn't need a repeat of the incident a few weeks prior. Tommy, who usually squirmed in his chair, sat up a little straighter, vying for a smile from Maura as well.

Jane reminded herself to breathe.

Her father tucked away his checkbook as her mother led grace, and her brothers soon engaged themselves in their own conversation. Jane relished the feeling of relief that swept over her, hopeful that her family could pull off an incident free dinner.

"So Maura, honey, are you enjoying school?" Angela launched the conversation with the most cliché question.

Maura nodded. "Oh, yes. My classes are fine, and I'm very lucky that I met Jane to show me all the ropes of public school," she added with a small smile. "This meal is very good," she further complimented, taking a delicate bite of her meatball.

"Thank you, dear," Angela beamed. She glanced over at her husband, who was still moderately distracted as he picked at his meal, his hand inching toward his pocket. Angela gave him a gentle kick under the table, earning a scowl.

"May I have some Parmesan cheese?" Maura asked sweetly, breaking the silence and the growing tension.

"Of course!" Angela answered quickly, spotting the cheese by the younger boys.

Frankie immediately reached for the cheese, but Tommy, who would have usually grumbled even about such a trivial task, took one look at Maura and swatted his brother's hands away.

"Hey!" Frankie protested, firmly grabbing hold of the container. "I've got it."

"No, I want to do it, Frankie!" Tommy rose to his knees to earn the height advantage, planting his own hand on the cylinder.

"Boys!" Angela scolded, but neither of them paid her any heed. As Tommy fought to keep his grip, his chair tilted, causing him to tumble on top of his brother. Surprised by the impact, Frankie lost his own balance, and the two boys fell to a heap on the floor, the cheese catapulting from Frankie's grasp and spilling all over the tiled floor. Jo immediately sprang from beneath the table, eagerly aiding in the clean up process as she gobbled up the fallen cheese.

"Hey!" Tommy screeched from on top of his brother. "Why'd you have to be so stupid, Frankie?"

"I'm not the stupid one. I was already passing the cheese. You're the idiot who had to go grab it for yourself," Frankie adamantly defended, attempting to shove his brother off of him.

"Oh, dear God," Jane groaned, watching her brothers squabble. Apologetic glances weren't going to get her very far.

"Boys! For heaven's sake!" Angela bellowed, rising from her chair as she easily lifted her ten-year-old off her twelve-year-old. Tommy flailed wildly, letting out a frustrated scream.

Frank had taken the moment of chaos to slip his checkbook out once again, sliding it beneath the rim of his plate as he began to work out the figures.

"Oh, really, Frank?" Angela rolled her eyes at him, keeping a firm grip on Tommy. "I could use a little help here." She planted Tommy back in his chair, who, as soon as he was free from her grasp, launched himself at Frankie again.

He glanced up, looking somewhat apologetic, but as he caught his wife's enraged glare, he became inflamed himself. "Angela, look, I'm sorry that I'm doing my damn best to support this family, and I'm my busy schedule doesn't fit perfectly into yours. You know I've been at the end of my wire ever since Ronaldo quit, so I'd appreciate some respect!"

"I'll appreciate all you do for this family once you actually start showing that you care!" Angela hollered back just as vehemently, now ignoring the wrestling boys as she stomped toward her husband.

Jane took this as her cue to leave, lest she die from embarrassment. "Come on," she hissed in Maura's direction, the two slipping away from the madness unnoticed. She grabbed Maura's bag from the base of the stairs, leading her friend into the solitude of her bedroom.

She didn't have time to be embarrassed about her small, sparsely decorated bedroom, and though it paled in comparison to Maura's, it was the save haven they need. She plopped down on the bed, beckoning Maura to join her.

"I'm sorry," she profusely apologized, wanting nothing more than to individually strangle each member of her family at the moment.

"It's fine, Jane," Maura assured her, placing her hand gently atop of Jane's. "It all comes with having a family. I'm actually a bit envious, if I'm being honest."

"You're jealous of those hooligans?" Jane muttered incredulously, certain Maura was just being polite at this point. "I've always wished I had a family more like yours – I'd be an only child. My father would be _anything _but a plumber, and my mom would be chic and glamorous and educated."

"And I always wondered what it would be like to have a mother who would cut the crusts of my sandwiches," Maura matched Jane's words, her tone a bit wistful.

"Annoying," Jane assured her with a small smirk, though she was slowly beginning to see what drew Maura to her family.

"I've never had a real family, Jane," Maura broke the somewhat light tone of the conversation, glancing away from Jane, her eyes instead falling on the Red Sox poster on the far wall. "My father is always working, my mother is never home. Jeremy is sweet, but he's hardly family. I've never had siblings to squabble with. I've never had a mother who's so warm and involved that she edged on the overbearing side. My father works for his own enjoyment – not because he has the stress and duty of providing for a family he needs to love and protect." She paused, giving Jane's hand a small squeeze. "You're rather lucky, Jane. Perhaps they are a bit unruly, but they love you – you're a family."

Jane slowly let her anger melt away as Maura put her family life into perspective. "I suppose I love them, too," she reluctantly admitted. "Though I think it's best you avoid Tommy at all costs. Look at the damage that shameless little flirt has already done."

"Tommy was flirting with me?" Maura cocked her head, replaying the brief dinner events over in her mind.

"Big time," Jane laughed. "I worry about that kid – he's only ten and look at all the trouble he's already causing."

"I think its sweet," Maura contradicted with a small giggle, kicking her shoes off and curling her knees to her chest. Jane snorted but said nothing more. It was silly of her to let her brother's antics bother her so much. After all, the youngest Rizzoli hardly had a chance with Maura.

They were silent for a moment, and Jane watched Maura's eyes dart around her room. Her gaze landed on her nightstand, where she noticed a notepad of paper, scribbled on in Jane's messy scrawl. "What's that?" she murmured curiously, craning her neck for a better look.

"Oh," Jane muttered, reaching over Maura to pick up the notebook. "Just stuff about that body we found – I don't have much to go on, but you know me, I can't resist trying." She shrugged.

"May I see?" Maura asked. Jane nodded, allowing her to take the notebook. She watched Maura read down each item.

_Gail Yeager (Age 32)_

_Found in woods near Beacon Hill_

_Slit throat, wound cleaned_

_Body laid out nicely_

_Necrophilia? _

_Husband: Dr. Martin Yeager (age 37) – found dead in home, bound and tied, slit throat_

"That part was on the news," Jane informed her, pointing to the line about her husband. Her mother had been watching the news a few nights ago as Jane completed her homework, and her interest had been piqued at the name Yeager.

"Yes, I read about it the other day," Maura nodded, scanning Jane's list again. "It really isn't much to go on, unless the killer has a history. Unfortunately, serial killers in the Boston area are not a topic I'm well informed about," she concluded a bit apologetically.

"Maybe I can see if I can wheedle any more information out of Korsak," Jane answered in reply. "There's always stuff they don't put on the –"

The door swung open suddenly, revealing Angela with Jo Friday on one of her hips and deflated air mattress on the other.

"Don't you knock?" Jane grumbled, taking Jo from her mother as she spread the mattress out on the floor beside Jane's bed.

"What, are you hiding something?" Angela raised an eyebrow, thus justifying her actions. Jane sighed, not bothering to retort. Angela spoke again instead. "Girls, I'm sorry about what happened at dinner." She specifically looked at Jane, letting her know that she was truly apologetic for the recent behavior of her family in the presence of her friends. "I need to learn how to handle my differences with your father in a more mature way," she sighed, beginning to inflate the bed.

"It's okay, Ma." Jane remembered Maura's words, doing her best to appreciate the mother she had. Maura nodded in agreement. Jane bit her tongue, knowing that it be best to leave the apology rather than trying to have the last word.

"If you girls are still hungry, there's quite a bit of leftovers in the fridge," Angela muttered a bit regretfully. "You can watch a movie if you'd like – you won't have to worry about fighting Tommy for the TV. He's not allowed to play video games for three days after his behavior tonight," Angela explained with an eye roll. "Maura, if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to let Jane know. We really are glad you're here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura spoke in reply.

"Yeah, thanks, Ma." Jane gave her mother a genuine smile, letting her know that all was forgiven.

Jo tottered out after her mother, leaving the two girls alone. Jane fell back against her pillows, a wave of familiarity washing over her. It was then that she realized just how integrated Maura had become in her life, and it made her grin.

"What?" Maura asked, blushing a little as she caught Jane's expression.

"I'm just thinking about how happy I am that we're friends, that's all." She blushed faintly too. "So what do you wanna do?"

"We could work on our Anatomy project. I typed up our research last night, so all we have left is the poster," Maura suggested, her eyes darting toward her bag.

"Oh, yay, exactly what I want to do during a sleepover," Jane rolled her eyes, though honestly, even the idea of doing homework if Maura was involved made the task much less unsavory.

Maura didn't speak, though she looked toward her bag again. Jane sighed heavily. "Okay, okay, you're right. God forbid we let it loom over us." Maura's face perked up considerably. "Sheesh, you really know how to liven up a Friday night."

"Sarcasm," Maura noted. "I'm getting better at detecting it. You're using it far more often lately, much like you do with Frost. And your mother. You certainly were much more bashful when I first met you."

"It's a sign of affection," Jane responded. "Consider yourself lucky. I like you," she winked. "You're lucky I was somewhat civil when I first met you – usually I bite people's heads off pretty quickly."

Maura grinned, unravelling the poster paper as she spread it out across Jane's carpet. "I certainly must have made quite the first impression on you then."

Jane snorted. "Yeah, bearing your naked breasts did leave quite an impact," she spoke too quickly, her blush giving her away.

"I was not bearing them!" Maura retorted. "As if. It's quite natural for girls to change comfortably in front of each other."

_Yeah, except there's nothing comfortable about doing it with you,_ Jane spoke silently this time. "Yeah, well, you certainly did make an impression..."

"Well, _I _do consider myself lucky then. I was very fortunate to find you," she spoke genuinely, making Jane's stomach flutter.

It took them a good two hours to finish the poster, and Jane was glad when Maura finally tucked the finished meticulously crafted project away, certain that even five more minutes would have led her to strangling her best friend. The two changed into their pajamas – a salmon colored nightgown for Maura and a Patriots jersey and boy shorts for Jane. The girls crawled into bed, and Jane felt guilty about Maura sleeping on the air mattress, but the blonde firmly insisted. Jane turned out the lights, her eyes tired from concentrating on their poster for so long.

"You comfortable?" Jane asked, leaning over the edge of her bed to peer at Maura in the darkness.

She was greeted by silence as Maura shifted. "Not really," she answered hesitantly. "The mattress is somewhat deflated."

"Let me take it instead," Jane swung her legs out of bed, more than willing to take Maura's place. "You can have my bed."

"Oh, no, Jane, don't do that. I'll be fine," Maura assured her, turning over again, but Jane had already planted her feet on the floor. "Really, Jane. Go back to bed."

"Oh, come on, Maur, you don't think I'm just gonna ignore a comment like that. Get in my bed. I could honestly pass out anywhere."

Maura reluctantly rose from the air mattress, watching the middle cave in as she crawled into Jane's bed. "Jane..." she murmured. "We can just share your bed."

The idea had occurred to both of them, but neither had wanted to seem too forward by suggesting it. It didn't take Jane long to nod in agreement, and neither of them bothered to point out the limited space they'd have in Jane's twin-sized bed. Jane wiggled beneath the covers, her bare leg brushing against Maura's. Her heart accelerated, and she tried to breathe at a normal rate as she rested her head against the pillow.

"So," Maura whispered, her breath bouncing off Jane's face as she spoke.

"So," Jane muttered in return, realizing that Maura felt somewhat uncomfortable, too. But as Maura scooted a little closer to Jane, she realized it wasn't really discomfort she felt. In fact, she contemplated never moving from this position, ready to fight sleep for as long as she could manage just to savor the moment as long as she could. With Maura's body so close to hers, she felt more aware, more self-conscious, but certainly no in a negative way.

"I've only been to one other sleepover before," Maura finally broke the silence. "It was fifth grade – a birthday party for a girl named Analise, and I'm pretty sure her mother just had her invite every girl from the class because we were hardly what you would consider friends..." she trailed off, her eyes sparkling in the darkness.

"I've never had a sleepover before," Jane admitted. "So you're one step ahead of me," she chuckled softly. "So tell me – what is it that girls do at these ever so popular events? Is it at all like the movies?" She grinned at Maura, knowing that her lack of experience in this department was hardly something Maura would judge her for.

"I can't say I've watched many movies that depict the lives of teenage girls, but it really is quite what you'd expect it to be. Movie watching in pajamas, gossiping, and, oh – Never-Have-I-Ever – that seemed to be the highlight of the night."

"Never-Have-I-Ever?" Jane asked, trying to register some sort of recognition of the phrase.

"It's a game," Maura explained. "And a quite simple one at that. Everyone holds up five fingers, you all take a turn by starting out with the phrase 'Never have I ever..." and then you fill it in with something you've never done. It's best to think of very common things you've never done, because if the other people have done it, they have to put down a finger – and you go around the circle until only one person has any fingers left," Maura concluded, and Jane nodded, the premise seeming simple enough. "I had felt left out of many of their jokes and gossip for the bulk of the night, but I remember all the girls being so fascinated by the things I've never done that we played multiple rounds of it – I won every time," she laughed. "You should have seen their horrified faces when I told them I'd never seen a Disney movie."

"Wow, that is kind of pathetic, Maur," Jane laughed with an eyebrow raise. She propped herself up on her elbow as she spoke, "So, you wanna play? I bet you I could beat you." Jane knew that neither of them were hardly the cliché girls that had a thousand shared experiences, but she was quite certain that with their differing upbringings, she could definitely pull out a few situations that could work to her advantage.

"I'm not sure how well it will work with only two people," Maura stated, but she caught the glint in Jane's eyes, and Jane could tell her competitive nature had been sparked. "But I'm certainly up for the challenge."

"Alrighty, I'll start then," Jane spoke, holding up a hand as she wiggled her fingers. She chewed thoughtfully on her lip. "Okay then, Never have I ever traveled out of the country."

Maura sighed, tucking her thumb against her palm. "Not even Canada?" she reminded Jane.

"Not even Canada," Jane repeated smugly.

"Okay, my turn." Maura took a moment to formulate her answer. "Never have I ever told a lie."

"What?" Jane sputtered incredulously. "That's impossible – everyone lies, even if its just little ones."

"Okay, let me rephrase – Never have I ever _successfully _told a lie. Every time I'm faced with the situation, I freeze up and break out in a nasty case of hives – it's quite humiliating," she sighed. "So usually I just avoid the truth or speak as vaguely as I can if a lie is indeed pertinent to a situation."

"No kidding," Jane laughed a little, now recalling the few times she had witnessed Maura's shoddy lying skills. She put down a finger. "Kay, my turn again. Never have I ever worn a pair of high heels."

"Never?" Maura seemed slightly appalled by this statement. "Well I'll make that a lie soon enough," she laughed, lowering another finger, and Jane scowled, knowing that Maura would probably win, considering how the bra shopping had played out. "Okay, let me think." She was silent for a moment. "Never have I ever been to a baseball game."

It was Jane's turn to gape in horror. "Now that's just sad. If you're getting me in a pair of prissy shoes, then I'm definitely gonna have to drag you to Fenway park. Man, what a sad life," Jane shook her head in disbelief.

"I've never been big on sports – I'm not even sure I've even seen a full game of anything, even on TV," she admitted.

"Sad life," Jane repeated, wrinkling her brow as she attempted to think of another good one. "Got it. Okay, never have I ever seen an episode of _Friends._"

Maura laughed, keeping her remaining fingers in place. "Neither have I. It's rare I turn on my television, unless the Discovery Channel or the History Channel has a good documentary on."

Jane huffed quietly as Maura contemplated her next one. "Never have I ever missed a day of school."

Jane reluctantly lowered another finger, feeling slightly more competitive. "Not even a sick day?"

"No, though I did go home a period early once when I had the unfortunate experience of contracting the stomach flu. But I was not marked absent," she bragged, raising an eyebrow.

"Okay," Jane muttered, anxious to win the upper hand again, so she threw out a card she knew was destined to obtain a win, despite the somewhat embarrassing nature of her confession. "Never have I ever been kissed."

Maura lowered her entire hand. "Never? Not even once?"

"What? I'm only fourteen," Jane reminded her. "You can get on my case in ten years if that's still the case."

"I apologize," Maura muttered, her voice still a bit incredulous. "It's just, I guess I didn't expect it, that's all."

"What, you think everyone's in line to kiss scrubby, tomboy Jane?" she scoffed.

"You're hardly scrubby," Maura protested. "And while you do have a masculine demeanor about you, you're hardly boyish – you're quite pretty Jane, and anyone would be lucky to kiss you," her voice trailed off in an airy breath.

It was then that Jane realized just how close Maura's face was to hers and just how tightly packed they were in her small bed. She coughed, tucking her chin against her neck as she tore her eyes away from Maura's lips. "So, uh, when did you get your first kiss?"

It seemed to take Maura a moment to recover as well, and she flipped herself onto her back, looking at the ceiling as she spoke. "Well, I'm not sure if this one counts, but when I was five, my mother joined a book club, where many of the other women had young children. She hardly brought me anywhere with her, but she did bring me to each meeting to allow me to interact with the other children. Only three meetings in, however, she decided that the other women's opinions were dull and contrived, so she quit...but now I'm going off topic. There was a little boy my own age, Brian Hessinger, who one day informed me I was pretty and proceeded to kiss me right on the mouth. So I suppose that was in a way my first kiss," she finished.

"That's kinda cute," Jane laughed. "Brian Hessinger had good taste," she winked. "So when was your next kiss?"

"Not until sixth grade," Maura informed her. "Going to an all girl's school, I didn't have much opportunity to interact with boys, but in middle school we did joint dances with the boys from Bridgton. Elliot Miller was my date to the Christmas dance, and he quite romantically – and a bit enthusiastically – kissed me under the mistletoe. He then proceeded to ask me out, but after kissing him I realized he had mandibular tori – a bony growth in the mandible near the tongue – and my diagnosis certainly did end up being a turn off," she sighed before continuing. "In seventh grade I kissed Roger Thomes at a Bridgton football game – coincidentally the only one I attended. And at Molly Corrander's birthday party – another rare invite – I kissed Claire Weber on a dare. And then of course, there was Garrett."

Jane's eyes widened. "So you've kissed a girl before?"

"Yes," Maura clarified, very nonchalant about the fact. "It's no different than kissing a guy, really," she assured Jane.

Again, Jane's eyes darted to Maura's lips. She quickly flipped onto her back as well. "I was almost kissed once," Jane spoke, Maura's kissing history sparking her own memory. "It was in fifth grade, and this kid, Casey Jones, had this huge crush on me. He asked me to go out for ice cream with him after school one day, and I said yes. It was nice, albeit it kind of awkward, and after he walked me home, he tried to kiss me, but I freaked out and punched him in the face instead. Needless to say, I don't think he's talked to me since."

Maura laughed lightly. "I'm sure your first kiss will be much more special than any of mine have been," she gave Jane the assurance she needed. "Though I'll never get a real first kiss again, I am waiting for that special moment when it happens with someone who really matters."

"Yeah, me too," Jane spoke, her voice a little gruff as her heart began to pump wildly again. Just then, she heard a thump at her door, and the two girls jerked up in surprised, expecting Jane's mother.

"One minute," Jane muttered when her door did not fly open. She slipped out of bed, wondering what her mother wanted this late. Maura arranged herself back on the deflated air mattress as Jane cracked open the door. "Oh, it's just you, Jo," she laughed, her little dog pushing her way through the ajar door.

Maura and Jane resumed their places in Jane's bed, and Jo eagerly joined the the two. "Jo, there's not enough room for all of us," Jane protested, nudging her dog gently with her foot, but Jo promptly curled herself up in a ball on top of both her feet. Jane rolled her eyes, letting out a defeated sigh as Jo began to snore almost immediately.

Maura let on a yawn. "Goodnight, Jane," she murmured, snuggling a little closer to Jane.

Maura's yawn seemed to be contagious. Jane felt her eyes grow heavy, and as Maura closed her own eyes, Jane let hers flutter shut. "'Night, Maura," she whispered, a her lips curving into a grin as she fell asleep.


	11. Chapter XI

_A/N: I really apologize that these updates are taking so long and that this chapter is on the shorter side. Between writing other fic, work, some family stuff, and packing to leave for school this week, its been hard for me to find the time to devote to this. Also, I will tell you that updates will probably continue to be slow, but I do ask that you stick with me - __ I have big plans for this fic_. Also, I want to thank **JoBethMegAmy. my home girls** for giving me the little push of inspiration I needed to write this chapter. Thanks for the continual support; you guys rock :]

* * *

Maura awoke to the gentle beams of sunlight spilling across the room. Her head rested against Jane's chest instead of the pillow, and she was careful not to move, the feeling of Jane's warm body rising and falling beneath hers too perfect to spoil.

Sometimes Maura feared she'd wake up, still a student at Willard, invisible to her peers, left forgotten to the rest of the world. But instead she had found a best friend, suited for her like no other person she'd ever come across. She snuggled a little closer to Jane, trying to fall back asleep as she matched her breathing to Jane's slow, even breaths, but it was soon obvious that she would not fall back into the world of slumber. She peeled herself away from Jane, somewhat reluctantly. For a moment, she watched Jane sleep, her face serene in slumber, her thin lips slightly parted, and Maura did not have the heart to wake her just yet.

She padded softly from the room, greeted by the mouth-watering scent of breakfast cooking as she entered the kitchen to find Angela flipping pancakes at the stove.

"Good morning, Maura," Angela greeted warmly. "Is Janie up too?" She peered over Maura's shoulder, expecting to see her daughter close behind.

"No, she's still asleep, and I didn't want to wake her," Maura explained, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Did you sleep well?" Angela asked, pouring another ladle full of pancake batter onto the skillet.

Maura blushed faintly, her whole body feeling warm. "Yes, I did, thank you."

"Oh, good," Angela smiled. "Because I know that air mattress certainly isn't the most comfortable thing."

"I slept very well," Maura assured her, keeping her answer simple.

As Angela continued cooking, Maura glanced around the small kitchen. The Rizzoli residence was nothing compared to her own lavish home, but she found she felt a pang in her stomach as she took in the homey surroundings, and she knew the ache in her gut would remain insatiable – not matter how much wealth she had been showered with, it could never buy her something like this.

Her eyes fell on a chess set laid out on the table, which she had failed to notice upon sitting down. She fingered the wooden pieces, soon realizing that they were hand carved and showed some slight wear. "This is a very nice set," Maura noticed.

"Oh, thank you," Angela smiled. "My grandfather carved it himself. Used to be in mint condition until Tommy got his hands on it." Angela rolled her eyes dramatically. "I guess I should be glad he's got an interest other than those video games of his, but he's far from gentle. Didn't even bother to clean up last night."

As if on cue, a very sleepy and disoriented Tommy stumbled into the kitchen, clad in a pair of Power Ranger pajamas. He took one look at Maura and flushed miserably, his hands flying up to his sleep-mussed hair, trying in vain to flatten it.

Maura bit her tongue to keep from giggling, remembering Jane's observation from the night before. "Good morning, Tommy," she told him sweetly.

His cheeks turned a shade pinker as she addressed him, and she couldn't help but to think just how much he looked like Jane as he blushed. "Morning," he muttered, still looking quite embarrassed before he caught sight of Maura playing absentmindedly with the chess pieces. His face lit up, his humiliation waning.

He scampered over to the table, pulling out the chair opposite of Maura. "Do you play?"

Maura nodded, watching his eyes light up, and once again she was reminded of Jane. "Your mother told me that you like to play as well."

He nodded enthusiastically, reaching for the pieces as he swiftly arranged them. "Wanna play while Ma finishes breakfast?" he eagerly suggested. "Where is Jane anyway?" he added, as if expecting a snarky remark from the elder Rizzoli any moment now.

"Sleeping," Maura answered as Tommy finished setting up.

"Excellent," Tommy grinned. "So you up for a game?"

Maura had taught herself to play chess at a young age after finding a book outlining the rules, and she had been eager to join the chess club at Willard in the following years. But it had been ages now since she had had a proper opponent - her father rarely had the time and her mother always declined, leaving Maura more than willing to accept Tommy's proposal.

"The question is, are _you _up for a game?" Maura challenged him with a smirk of her own.

"Oh, you're on," Tommy's eyes glinted mischievously as the two began to play.

XXX

Jane woke up smiling. For a moment, she could not remember why she felt such a blissful happiness radiating around her, and then she caught sight of the empty, somewhat deflated air mattress on the floor, remembering that the previous night had been so much more than just a pleasant dream. But her smile quickly faded when she realized that Maura was no where to be seen, so she quickly gathered her unruly hair into a ponytail, hurrying down the steps in search for the other girl.

"Are you _serious?_" Jane moaned as soon she entered the kitchen, catching Maura and Tommy in the midst of their game.

Maura jerked her head up at the sound of Jane's voice, looking slightly guilty as she moved her bishop. "Good morning, Jane."

Jane slumped down in the chair beside her best friend. "Sorry you had to resort to this for entertainment…you should have woken me."

"Oh, it's fine," Maura assured her, watching as Tommy chewed on his lower lip, plotting his next mood. "We're actually having fun. He's quite good."

Jane snorted. "Yeah, if only he put half the effort into school as he does a chess game." Tommy had yet to make his move, so Jane swiftly swooped her hand in. "Checkmate," she grinned a bit wryly.

"Hey!" Tommy protested, despite the aid Jane had given him, obviously set on impressing Maura all on his own.

"I didn't know you played," Maura muttered, marveling at Jane's skill rather than focusing on her defeat.

"Uh, yeah, who do you think taught this loser?" Jane felt a bit smug as she reached across the table, messing up Tommy's hair. He rose to his knees, ready to retaliate, but Angela soon entered into view with breakfast in her grasp.

"Alright, kids, put the game away. I've got breakfast ready." Angela carried the platter of pancakes over the table, the mouth-watering smell earning her immediate obedience.

"Ah, Ma, why'd you make the bunny ones?" Jane groaned, catching sight of the rabbit-shaped pancakes. They had been cute about ten years ago, but Jane hardly wanted such a juvenile meal in front of sophisticated Maura.

"Oh, I think they're adorable!" Maura gushed, smiling up at Angela. "I wish my mother would take the time to make a breakfast like this."

Angela raised her eyebrow in Jane's direction, who managed an apologetic smile as she took a few for her own plate.

XXX

"What treats do you have for us today, Mrs. R?" Frost dropped his bag off by one of the stools as the three entered the Division One Cafe the following Monday afternoon. "Because I am _ravenous,_" he flashed her a charming smile, earning an eye roll as she reached for the tray of broken pastries.

"Take your pick." She pushed it toward the growing boy, turning her attention toward Maura and Jane, who had taken their seats across the room. "Do you girls want anything?"

"Nah, I'm good for now," Jane answered. "You, Maura?"

"No, thank you, Mrs. Rizzoli," Maura declined politely, and the girls buried themselves deep in conversation once again.

Frost approached his friends, a brownie shoved in his mouth and a two donuts in his hand. He took a moment to finish chewing, asking as he swallowed. "What are you too gossiping about?"

"Just that murder case," Jane sighed, reminding Frost of the body they had found out in woods. He had been quite jealous that he had missed out on their thrilling adventure.

He bit off a chunk of his donut. "Did you guys dig up a new lead or something?"

"Nah, nothing yet," Jane muttered bitterly. "Korsak's been busy, and I doubt he'd give us much of anything anyway." All three of them were much too intrigued by the case to simply drop their curiosity.

"I was looking up serial killers who have a history of striking in the Boston area last night," Maura told the two. "I thought perhaps that could be something for us to speculate about," she reasoned.

"What did you find?" Jane's interest was piqued as Maura spoke the words.

"Well, since we don't have much to go on, it was rather hard to decipher if anything was a potential lead or not. I went through the archive on the Boston Herald's website to see if there were any articles about serial killers in the past few decades or so, and I did find something promising - about twenty years ago a middle aged couple was found bound in their home, killed by a scalpel wound to the jugular – just like the Yeagers."

"Go on," Jane encouraged, soaking in every word.

"Their murder was never solved, though they had a son who was just about to begin medical school before they were brutally killed. He was a potential suspect, but he testified in court and no evidence was found to support suspicions. He disappeared shortly after the trial, so it has still never been confirmed if he was involved or not. He's been missing for the past twenty years now, confirmed when the case was revisited a few years ago when a similar victim was found - again, the case was unsolved. It looks like this mysterious son may have something to do with this murder as well."

"What's his name?" Jane questioned, her heart pounding a bit fearfully, though it was laced with a hint of excitement.

An ominous atmosphere suddenly filled the cafe as she answered, whispering softly, "Charles Hoyt."

* * *

_A/N: So there's a bat out in my dorm hall. So I'm just gonna hole myself up in my room all night and hide - on the bright side, it will definitely give me some writing time so I may have a chapter of this ready sooner than I expected. lol_


	12. Chapter XII

_A/N: I apologize that this story has been so neglected recently. I do have every intent to finish it – it just might take a while. So thank you for bearing with me, those of you are still sticking around. You're awesome :]_

* * *

"I went to your open house last night," Angela spoke as she delivered the tray of sweets over to the girls, an action that was becoming to routine that Jane found the days were beginning to blur together.

"I know, Ma," Jane rolled her eyes, taking a blueberry muffin. "I found the note you left in my locker."

Angela smiled. "I was hoping you'd see it."

"Yeah, well, let's just say rhyming's not your strong suit," Jane huffed, constantly embarrassed by her mother's refusal to let her grow up. "_Jane, I wrote you this note, and left it in the pocket of your coat…_really?"

"I thought it was sweet," Maura chimed in, earning a glower from Jane and smirk of approval from Angela. Angela patted Maura appreciatively on the shoulder, nudging the best brownie fragment in Maura's direction.

"Your teachers seem nice, Jane," Angela continued on, brushing of Jane's callous remarks. "Bonnie Hayden – what was she, your English teacher? She seemed very sweet and engaging. And Ray Chesholt - your anatomy teacher. He seemed very enthusiastic about his work," Angela noted, taking a small corner of a cookie for herself.

"Ew, no, Mr. Chesholt is creepy," Jane protested, wrinkling her nose and shivering slightly at just the mere thought of her anatomy teacher.

"But he is very enthusiastic about his job, Jane," Maura supported Angela once again. "I will agree, I don't find him to be overly personable, but his knowledge of the human body is very extensive."

"And there I rest my case," Jane spoke out once again. "He's creepy."

They dropped the conversation as Angela disappeared back behind the counter, returning with a cup of coffee only moments later. "Jane, would you take Detective Korsak his coffee?" Angela asked, her tone still a bit stiff from their previous disagreement.

"Fine," Jane made a point to roll her eyes once again, taking the steaming cup in her grasp as she stomped off toward his desk.

"Someone's in a chipper mood today," Korsak noted, raising an eyebrow as she placed the cup on his desk.

"My mother," Jane explained simply, buying herself a moment away from her as she leaned up against the desk. She wasn't even too eager to rejoin Maura, who was becoming quite irritating every time she gave her mother her sympathies.

"Aw, she means well, Jane," Korsak reminded her fondly, reaching for the cup, wincing as he took a sip of the scalding liquid. "And she sure does make sure my coffee's hot," he added with a chuckle.

Jane fought the urge to roll her eyes once again. "So whatcha doing?" she changed the subject, her eyes falling on two matting teacups that were sealed tightly in separate bags.

"Documenting evidence," he explained. "These two teacups were found at two different crime scenes – at the Yeager home and more recently, at our latest murder," he referenced. Intrigued, Jane bent forward, taking a better look at the design. They were small, dainty cups, rimmed in yellow with a delicate floral pattern sweeping around the ceramic surface. "We didn't think much of it when we confiscated it from the first crime scene, but when we found a matching cup, with neither of the families owning a set – it set off some warning flags." She could tell that Korsak was excited about this recent development, which attributed to his eagerness to tell her. She waited patiently for him to finish, worried that he'd remember she was merely fourteen and cease to share his findings. "Neither of the cups have any finger prints on them – not a trace of evidence. It looks like the killer has been leaving us a sign, clearly marking these victims as his own."

Jane shuddered involuntarily, taking a final glance at the cups before she headed back over the cafe. She forgot her irritation as she hoisted herself up onto the stool, chomping down on another cookie fragment as she turned toward Maura, quickly becoming eager as she shared the news. "We've got a further development to go off in this case."

XXX

_Jane never found herself dreading mornings the way she had in previous years, always quite anxious to scurry down to the locker room and meet Maura for their first period PE class. Monday mornings, previously the most dreaded, were now the most anticipated, because a weekend without Maura always had her more eager to see her. _

_She pushed open the locker room door open, stopping short as she found Maura completely nude between the rows. Maura had become slightly more modest and aware during their changing sessions – Jane didn't know whether to attribute this to Maura noting her own hesitance and discomfort or to some other conscious or subconscious reason. Regardless, Jane found herself relieved, never quite knowing what to make of the feelings that erupted within her as her eyes would wander. _

_But here Maura was, completely nude from head to toe, one arm resting up against the side of the lockers as she supported her body, looking quite alluring as her long hair tumbled down between her full breasts. _

_Jane swallowed heavily, trying in vain to tear her gaze as she eyed Maura up and down. _

"_Jane, I've been waiting for you!" Maura exclaimed, a smile breaking out onto her flawless face. She pulled herself away from the lockers, her breasts jiggling with the sudden movement. Jane's eyes immediately planted themselves there, noticing that her nipples had become hard. _

Damn it, look away! _she commanded herself, involuntarily licking her lips. Had her breasts gotten bigger? Jane found herself questioning this detail as she succumbed to her weakness, letting her eyes fully admire the glory before her. They certainly seemed bigger, but it had been such a long time since Jane had seen them. _

_Maura, in all this, seemed quite unfazed by Jane's ogling. She merely walked toward Jane in a seductive manner, stopping just as she approached her. She was close enough that Jane could feel her breath against her face and smell the warming scent of vanilla emanating off her skin. One step closer, and she was sure Maura's full breasts would brush up against her t-shirt. _

"_Jane," Maura spoke sweetly, her voice washing over Jane's face. So close that she thought she might kiss her, and Jane hardly had the will or desire to pull away. So close, so close…she could feel Maura incline toward her every so slightly…_

Jane awoke with a start, gasping for breath as she sat up abruptly, her heart pounding erratically, accompanied by a strange, unfamiliar throbbing between her thighs. She pressed her legs together, trembling slightly as she rode out the feeling, letting her breaths calm her as the vivid images from her dream began to fade.

She ran an hand through her tangled curls, exhaling loudly. What had just happened? That dream...oh, that dream. She felt her heart began to pound again as the memory of Maura's breasts assaulted her again. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force another image into her mind, though quite torn because the one she was currently visualizing was so appealing. It was frightening to her, as she realized just what her subconscious had conjured, but it was also strangely delightful and appealing to feel this way.

Still feeling a little shaky, she rose from bed, collecting herself as she went downstairs to get herself a glass of water. She crept down the stairs, carefully making sure they did creak, and she began to pad softly through the living room, letting out a small yelp when she noticed a figure moving on the couch.

She was greeted by gasp in return, and she was quickly assaulted by a flash of light as the figure reached for the lamp, temporarily blinding Jane as she adjusted her sight to the brightness.

"Ma?" she finally spoke, squinting into the light.

"Oh, it's just you, Jane," she sighed, falling back against the cushions. "What are you doing down here?"

Jane's stomach jumped again as she recalled her dream. Her ears turning a little pink, she quickly answered. "Just getting some water. Why are you down here?"

Angela let out a sigh, looking a bit forlorn as her eyes met Jane's. Jane took it as her cue to sit down on couch beside her mother, her brow furrowing in genuine concern as she joined her mother. "Your father and I…we're getting a divorce." Her voice was thick, and Jane could hear the threatening tears.

Jane swallowed, unsure what to say. Sure, she had hardly been oblivious to their recent fighting, but she hadn't suspected anything this extreme. "How long?" she finally whispered, scooting a bit closer to her mother.

"We've been discussing it for a while – but tonight we just fought so much, tonight we yelled more than I can ever remember yelling," Angela choked out, and Jane reached for her hand, and though she gave it a reassuring squeeze, she found herself desperate to cling to her mother as she was throttled into the unknown. "I don't know how long it will take, but it's certainly just not a possibility anymore," she finished, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. Jane snuggled up beside her, voluntarily sharing an intimate moment with her mother for the first time in years. "Don't tell your brothers. Not yet – I'm not ready for them to know yet."

Jane nodded against her arm, saying nothing as her mother's tears ran their course. She didn't know how long she sat there, listening as her stifled sobs faded into soft sniffles, realizing that her own eyes had grown wet too.

Her mother finally spoke, gently shifting away from Jane. "You should go to bed. You have school in the morning."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep," Jane admitted, speaking a little too fast, her stomach feeling strange as the dream once again crept into her consciousness.

"Don't let this worry you, Jane," her mother immediately mistook the source of her uneasiness. "It's nothing for you to worry about – I'm just sorry you had to find out this way."

"It's okay, Ma. It's gonna be okay – it's gonna be scary, but we'll pull through," Jane promised her, leaning her head up against her shoulder again.

Angela nodded, sniffling a bit more. "Is everything else okay?" she added, the tone of their conversation changing as Jane felt her belly flop once again. "Usually you're out like a rock for the night."

"Yeah," Jane answered as casually as she could. "Just some weird dreams," she found herself admitting vaguely. "Guess there's a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Angela prodded gently, taking advantage of this rare moment that Jane wasn't dripping in sarcasm.

Jane was taken slightly off guard by her mother's offer, for a moment wishing that she could open up about the bottled up feelings she had been harboring, but she quickly stopped herself. How was she supposed to discuss her feelings if she herself didn't even understand herself what she was experiencing? And she could hardly tell her mother she thought she was developing feelings for another girl, even if the circumstances had been more ideal.

"Nah, it's nothing really," Jane brushed it off. "I probably do just need to go get some sleep...and so do you," she further added, giving her mother a kiss on the cheek before rising from the couch.

Angela smiled sadly up at her. "You're a good girl, Janie," she spoke softly, and Jane felt her heart ache as she headed back up the stairs.

She climbed back into bed, her mind reeling from the influx of emotions she had experienced tonight. She tried not to think too much of the recent development in her parent's relationship, though perhaps it was better if she filled her mind with worry instead of the persistent images of Maura's naked body that just wouldn't seem to leave her alone.

She sighed, curling up under the blanket and hugging her pillow to her chest. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

_A/N: So I'm curious to know how many readers I still have interested this – I'd really appreciate it if you left me a review or PM telling me that you're still reading – it would be very helpful! Thanks_


	13. Chapter XIII

_A/N: Wow. That's really all I can say right now. I honestly thought I'd get like 3 reviews from a few dedicated readers – but you guys completely blew me away. Thank you so, so much – your enthusiastic feedback has certainly given me the inspiration I need, so without further ado, here is the next installment in much more timely fashion ;)_

* * *

"Good morning, Jane," Maura greeted pleasantly as she opened up her gym locker, smiling over at Jane as she began to change.

"Morning," Jane grunted, her irritated tone catching Maura off guard. She knew that Jane could often come off as unapproachable, but Maura was rarely on the receiving end of Jane's sour moods.

"Is everything alright, Jane?" Maura asked hesitantly as she tugged her PE shirt into place.

"Yep," Jane replied shortly, slamming her locker door shut. Maura noticed that Jane's unruly hair was more untamed than usual, and her eyes were dark and tired with heavy shadows bagging beneath them. It was obvious that she had not slept well.

"If you want to talk, I'm h—" Maura offered gently, though was promptly cut off by Jane's response.

"I'm fine, just leave me alone," Jane snapped with unnecessary venom, reaching to tug her mess of curls into a ponytail.

Maura pursed her lips, the sting of Jane's words having the intended effect on Maura. She let her hair fall in front of her face, shielding her hurt expression from Jane's harrowing glare.

The two walked out of the locker room in stony silence, Jane's gait heavy in her irritation, while Maura shuffled behind her, overcome by a mixture of concern and anger as she tried to decipher Jane's deplorable mood.

"Hey, Rizzoli, you're looking stunning today," Grant let out a whistle as the two girls approached the circle of boys in the center of the gym. "Someone steal your hairbrush?"

"Shut the fuck up, Grant," Jane spat heinously. Maura watched her eyes flicker darkly, and Maura stepped up closer to her friend, shooting Grant a look of disdain. She hardly wished to throw around childish insults of her own, frightened of how Jane would react if further provoked. She touched Jane's arm lightly, hoping the whole situation would merely blow over.

But Grant had clearly not had enough. Egged on by her reaction, he barreled on. "Betcha that look is going have all the guys lining up to ask you to the homecoming dance. So how many offers you got already, Rizzoli?" Grant further taunted her.

"Joseph, we'd both appreciate it if you stopped," Maura spoke calmly, clamping her hand onto Jane's wrist as the girl nearly lunged toward him. Jane retreated, letting her arm fall limply to her side. She scowled at Maura, letting out a heavy breath, but she made no further attempt to assault Grant.

"Hey, Rizzoli, at least your girlfriend bothers to stand up for you. I doubt she has many more offers that you do – you two can just go together: Roly-Poly Rizzoli and Maura-the-Bora." This comment elicited a few snickers from the other boys, and Maura felt her heart thump faster with a sudden rage, but she kept herself collected, tightening her grip on Jane's wrist once again.

But Jane would not have it. She yanked her arm out of Maura's grasp with such force that Maura reasoned she would not have been able to restrain her even if she had been prepared.

"Jane!" Maura cried, but as expected, the other girl paid her no heed.

Jane throttled herself in Grant's direction, tackling him to the floor before throwing a swift punch to his face. "You worthless pig," she spat, punching him again. He squirmed beneath her weight, but she kept him pinned securely to the ground. "Tell me, how many girls do you have lined up to accompany you and your sorry ass to that dance?" She continued to attack his face, only answered by a painful whimper. "Huh? Answer me, you lousy bastard! Answer me!"

"Jane, stop!" Maura exclaimed as she hit him square in the nose, a pool of blood spilling down his face.

"Jane!" Coach Walker ran over to the scene of the incident, just as Jane gave him a final blow. She looked a bit queasy as she finally shoved herself away from him, examining her bloody knuckles, taking a step back as she watched Grant writhe on the floor. Coach Walker quickly scribbled a note, holding it out in Jane's direction. "Principal's office. Now."

Jane took the note without protest, taking a bow before exiting the gym. The boys let out a round of applause at her cocky display, and only Coach Walker bothered to help Grant off the floor, herding him off to the nurse's office.

"Each of you grab a tennis racket and warm up with a partner," Coach Walker commanded as Grant staggered out the door. "No more funny business," he warned. "I'll be back shortly."

Maura licked her lips nervously, glancing off toward the direction of the hallway, sincerely worried about the punishment Jane would receive due to her rash behavior. She was then assaulted by another batch of anxiety as she watched the boys pair off, realizing just how reliant she had become on Jane.

"Care to be my partner?" the voice startled her, and she wheeled around to see Ian Faulkner smiling quite dazzlingly in her direction.

She smiled appreciatively at him, her stomach flopping just a little as she followed him over to the far side of the gym.

"Your friend there has quite the temperament," he laughed, his accent thick and appealing as he spoke. He served the ball, and Maura agilely swung back, forcing a chuckle at Ian's comment.

"She's just strong-willed," Maura sighed, speaking on Jane's behalf. It was one of the traits she admired about Jane, even if she didn't quite have the maturity to handle it just yet.

"She certainly is – and that was hardly meant to be an insult," Ian clarified as they kept the ball in motion. "It was about time someone stood up to that git – he's been riding around on his high horse for far too long."

Maura smiled yet again, swatting at the ball as it flew her way. "Yes, but I hope it does not cause her any severe consequences." Her mind darted to the possibility of Jane getting suspended, and she paled considerably.

"So about that dance," Ian spoke casually as they continued their volley, "I hardly wish to take Grant's warped assessment as a fact, but if indeed you do not have a swarm of boys already begging you, I'd like it if you'd be my date."

The ball whizzed past Maura, bouncing off the back wall as stood in stunned silence, taken off guard by his sudden proposal. He laughed, smiling easily at her. "Well, don't look so surprised, Maura. You're a very beautiful girl, and while some people may find your intelligence drab, I can assure you that I find it charming."

Maura collected herself, though her cheeks were a little pink as she retrieved the ball, tossing it over for Ian to serve it once again. "Your flattery is enticing, but I'm afraid I haven't decided if I plan to attend yet," she answered, her thoughts automatically shifting to Jane. After today, she didn't wish to saddle this kind of news on Jane. Though Grant's opinion was hardly worth esteeming, she knew that his words had been a slap in the face to her best friend. It was a strange feeling for Maura, to have a friend she so fiercely wished to protect – even to the point where she would reject the advances of a boy for her sake.

"Ah, well, a valid reason," Ian muttered in response, and Maura felt guilty for a small moment for turning him down. They kept a light conversation going for the duration of the class until the coach dismissed them to change.

"I hope you'll consider my offer," Ian spoke earnestly as they returned their rackets and balls to the other side of the gym.

"Of course," Maura spoke sincerely. "I'll let you know when I decide." She glanced at him through her lashes, conscious of her flirting. His face broke into a grin as he nodded, and the two went their separate ways into their appropriate locker rooms.

Maura's small moment of giddiness was soon diminished when she entered the empty locker room, greeted by the grim reminder of Jane's absence. She wished now more than ever that Jane had a phone so she could check on her friend in the very least, but she would have to suffer through a class period of anticipation before seeing Jane in Anatomy.

The forty-five minute of Calculus class had never felt longer, and she practically bolted from the room as soon as the bell rang. As she entered the Anatomy classroom, Jane greeted her with a positively livid expression. She gulped in a breath, speaking hesitantly as she sat beside her friend. "What happened?"

"Week of detention," Jane barked out gruffly.

"Do you want to talk more about it?" Maura answered, her voice soft and concerned.

"No," Jane answered in a huff. And with that, she pulled out her book and copied down the problems Mr. Chesholt had written on the board, not even bothering to glance in Maura's direction for the duration of the class.

She wasn't at lunch, which worried Maura even more. While she was peeved that Jane had been treating her so horrendously, she knew it was Jane's way of coping with whatever underlying reason she refused to speak about.

"Where's Jane at?" Frost asked as he slid into the seat beside.

Maura's anxiety was too consuming for her to even bother to correct Frost's improper preposition usage. "I don't know," she answered grimly.

"Do you know if that rumor about her pummeling Grant in gym class today is true?" Frost asked somewhat eagerly as he took a bite of his burger.

"Sadly, it is," Maura sighed, raising an eyebrow in Frost's direction to let him know that she did not approve. "While I'm glad she stood up for herself, it was certainly not in a mature manner, and it caused her more trouble than it was worth," she spoke her opinion, trailing off with a heavy sigh.

"Still, would've killed to see that," Frost laughed.

Jane did not join them for the remainder of the lunch period, and Maura could not keep Jane off her mind as the rest of the day dragged by. When the final bell rang during last period, Maura marched down to the office, where she inquired, "Where is detention being held today?"

"Room 217," the secretary answered her after a moment, and Maura offered her a pleasant smile before traipsing down to the given room.

With a slight wrinkle of her nose, she dusted off the floor beside the door and straightened her skirt as planted herself on the linoleum floor, leaning up against the wall as she pulled her novel out of her Louis Vuitton tote.

An hour later, the teacher on duty opened the door, the students filing out behind her, a few giving Maura a strange look as she kept her position on the floor. Jane was the last one to exit, looking exhausted and miserable. She stopped in front of Maura, saying nothing.

"Come on," Maura rose from the floor, dusting off her skirt and replacing her novel inside her bag. "Jeremy is out front."

She expected a protest of some sort, but Jane merely nodded, the fight within her flickering as she followed Maura out to the front of the school. They were silent for the duration of the ride home, and Jane hugged her book bag to her chest, her expression hard as she continued to suppress her feelings.

Jane trudged the familiar steps up to Maura's room, plopping down onto her bed without a word. Maura positioned herself on the edge of the comforter, tracing the floral pattern with her finger before she spoke. "Why did you hit Grant today, Jane?" she strayed away from the 'what's wrong?' approach, already having failed multiple times with that. "This isn't the first time he's said something hurtful that could have elicited a similar response," she reminded her friend. "Why today?" She was hoping to get to the root of Jane's anger, but her answer surprised her.

Jane let out a somewhat defeated sigh. "Because he attacked you," Jane stated simply, and Maura found her eyes, which held the sincerity to back her words. "I'm used to it – that bastard has been making jabs at me since second grade, and yeah, it makes me angry, but I didn't like it one bit when he went after you – guess something in me just snapped." She shrugged, turning away from Maura once again.

"You don't need to stand up for me, Jane. His words don't hurt me," Maura responded, but she could not deny the fluttering in her chest that accompanied Jane's words. She had never felt so valued before.

"Doesn't matter if you need it or not – it's not gonna stop me," Jane promised fiercely.

Maura clasped her hand over Jane's, not quite knowing what to say. She left her hand there for a moment, feeling the warmth of Jane's skin, relishing in this newfound feeling of worth. She had lived off self-validation for so long that she had never imagined what it would feel like to have someone else care so deeply for her for a change.

Jane pulled away after a moment, digging in her bag for her history book. She didn't speak, and Maura did not question her further, though she reasoned Jane was still withholding. As much as Maura wished she'd open up to her, she knew how it was to feel guarded about certain matters, and if the roles were reversed, she knew she'd appreciate Jane giving her the space she needed. Maura took out her own homework, idly plowing through a few Calc problems as she watched Jane out of the corner of her eye.

She knew Jane wasn't reading, because she hadn't turned the page for sometime now. Jane let out a small breath, and Maura watched her carefully in her peripheral vision. She stiffened as she watched Jane flick a tear away from her eye, careful not to upset Jane further. Jane finally slammed her book shut, clenching her teeth, before the words that Maura expected she had bottled up all day finally erupted from her.

"My parents are getting a divorce."

All at once, she turned away from Maura, collapsing against one of Maura's pillows as she muffled her sobs. Maura said nothing, but she inched up behind Jane, gently resting her hand against Jane's arm. Jane flinched at the initial contact, but she did not pull away, and without further inhibition, Maura curled up behind Jane, wrapping her arms around her trembling form.

"Shhh," Maura whispered softly, attempting to soothe her distraught friend. Jane snuggled a bit closer to her, and as each sob tore through her, Maura felt her own body quiver along with Jane's. Maura reached for Jane's messy hair, gently prying the ponytail holder away from her curls as her fingers began to work through her tangles. Maura never spoke, knowing that Jane would say more if she so desired, and though Jane did not vocalize it, Maura knew that she merely needed someone to hold her, someone to keep her grounded as her familiar world spiraled around her. Maura kept herself planted beside Jane, happy to be the rock she needed, providing all she had to offer.

After a while, Jane's breathing became slow and steady, though Maura continued to stroke her hair, letting the methodical motion continue to calm her. "Jane?" she finally whispered, her voice barely audible, and she was greeted by silence.

Maura propped herself up ever so slightly, noticing that Jane's face had become serene in a much-needed slumber. Slowly, she realigned herself, her body fitting perfectly around the curve of Jane's. She rested her chin against Jane's shoulder, her breath washing gently over Jane's neck. She nestled closer to her, letting her own eyes close as she merely listened to Jane breathe.

* * *

_A/N: Your feedback, as always is very much appreciated. It truly means a great deal to me when you take a few moments to express what you think :]_


	14. Chapter XIV

_A/N: This chapter comes with a beard warning. I know that doesn't thrill some of you, but what fun is Rizzles with no build up?_

* * *

Jane could not have imagined anything more perfect than waking up in Maura's arms. Her eyelids fluttered open, the heaviness of dried tears still apparent around her eyes. She felt the warmth of Maura's body pressed up against her, and she snuggled deeper into her embrace, fighting the moment when she'd have to hold herself together.

Jane knew this was not normal. Best friends did not hold each other quite this way. Best friends did not nap together, pressed into the curves of each other's bodies. Actions such as these were reserved for a much more intimate connection, but Jane pushed these thoughts into the back of her mind, still frightened of prospect of what they ultimately meant. In the back of her mind, she remembered her mother telling her that love happened between a man and a woman. Warnings about sin and eternal damnation, repeated in Father Tom's mantra, slipped into her thoughts. Catholic induced guilt had played a dominant role in Jane's upbringing, but even as these thoughts assaulted her, she realized they were not the greatest of her worries.

What Jane feared most was the Maura did not feel the same way in return. She had her assumptions, but they were outweighed by her insecurities. Maura was far too beautiful, far too experienced to have wanted to do anything with Jane and her scrawny boyish body, if indeed she should feel inclined to show interest in a girl. Jane felt silly every time she entertained the idea of Maura wanting more, realizing just how ridiculous the notion seemed when she thought about the logistics.

Maura stirred, her own eyes cracking open. She nestled her chin against Jane's shoulder, making no effort to move away from her friend. Jane's heart pounded, and it was moments like this that she could fool herself into thinking her speculating wasn't far off.

"Are you feeling better?" Maura asked, her breath hot against Jane's neck.

"Yes," Jane answered, perhaps a bit too quickly, acutely aware as Maura's hand trailed down her hip as she shifted her position. Jane pulled away, immediately regretting the chilly absence of Maura's body, but that strange, throbbing sensation had begun to pulse between her thighs again, and she was certainly not equipped to handle that right now.

"Are you okay, Jane?" Maura's brow furrowed in response to Jane's retreat.

"Uh, yeah," Jane gulped, noticing how Maura's sleep-tousled hair framed her face perfectly. Jane had always been aware of just how beautiful Maura was, but to be so consciously aware and try her best to not make her attraction evident was proving to be a difficult task.

Maura smiled softly, the silence building between them. Jane shifted, finding Maura's eyes, unsure of what she should say next. But it was Maura who finally broke the silence, her face apologetic as she spoke. "Ian Faulkner asked me to the dance today."

Jane's head jerked up, her words hurting more than she wanted them too. Every insecurity she had about Maura's feelings toward their relationship hit with a sudden dread. "What did you say?" she muttered, feeling slightly betrayed as she turned away from Maura.

"I told him I wasn't even sure if I planned to attend," Maura admitted truthfully.

Jane's fear alleviated slightly. "Do you wanna go?"

"I'm not sure yet. I wanted to see what your thoughts were first - I didn't want to make a decision that would hurt you," Maura spoke, and Jane managed to focus her gaze on her again.

It was perhaps some of the most selfless, sincere words someone had ever uttered to her, and Jane felt horrible for the selfish anger she was harboring. "You should go," she finally spoke with difficulty. "Go have fun - I'd probably go if someone asked me," she admitted with a shrug.

This seemed to ease Maura's reservations. "Oh, Jane, I'm sure that there is someone who'd be interested in going with you." At this comment, Jane scoffed, and Maura offered her a sympathetic smile. "But are you sure? I really don't want to make you upset."

"You're not upsetting me," Jane lied, forcing herself to handle this as maturely as she could manage. "Tell him yes - go have fun with him. I'm not that friend who's gonna go stop you. What kind of friendship would this be if we were always putting limitations on each other?"

Maura smiled appreciatively. "You're a great friend, Jane. I hope you know that."

XXX

Gym class was horrendous the following morning. Had Ian always looked at Maura this way, eyeing her curves, flashing her dazzling smiles? Jane and Maura had certainly created their own little corner amongst their testosterone filled gym class that Jane had neglected to see the way the all boys gazed at Maura's appealing form, but Ian Faulkner was by far the worst.

She reminded herself that her jealousy was petty and futile, but as he stopped Maura short before they returned to the locker rooms to change at the end of class, Jane found herself fuming as she threw open the door, in a huff as she changed, waiting for Maura. It was a good five minutes before she appeared, a smile on her face as she opened her locker.

"Did you tell him yes?" Jane barreled straight to the point.

Maura looked a bit hesitant to answer, but she nodded. "He also asked me if I were free to go out with him tonight," she admitted, her face looking slightly worried and it took Jane a moment to realize it was in response to her expression. She fought to relax her facial muscles, reminding herself that her jealously was absurd.

"Well, I'm happy for you," Jane forced the words out, knowing they sounded too harsh even though her intent was genuine.

"Are you, Jane?" Maura snapped back, her eyes flashing with irritation for a moment, but her expression softened quickly as well. "I apologize. I'm sorry that this is all happening so fast, Jane...it's all startling for me too. But I don't want you to worry."

Jane opened her mouth to speak, but the bell rang, cutting them off. Maura gave her a pleading look before exiting the locker room. Once she had gone, Jane kicked the base of the locker in frustration, knowing that worrying would be all she'd be doing.

XXX

"There, that should be the last box," Ian smiled, flattening the packaging tape on the cardboard box. He stacked it next to the pile of others, dusting off his hands as he scooted closer to Maura. "I'm sorry that this turned out to be completely un-romantic – I assure you I did have a dinner and movie planned," he laughed lightly, the sound echoing off the walls of the warehouse. "Thanks for helping me out, though."

"Of course," Maura dutifully replied, pulling her knees to her chest as she smiled in return. "I'm always glad to help – what organization did you say your father works for again?" she asked, gesturing toward the boxes of medical supplies they had just spent the last hour packing. Upon picking her up, Ian had received an urgent text from his father, resulting in a change of plans.

"Well…I didn't," Ian admitted, seeming a bit reluctant to exemplify. "Let's just say my father doesn't really work through any of the recognizable non-profits," he ended with a forced chuckle.

Maura processed his words, taking a moment to register them before her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, you mean to say that his distribution of supplies is…?" she trailed off, not wanting to pry where she was not welcome.

"Illegal, yes," he provided the word for her, much more quickly than she anticipated. "It does only seem fair that I'm honest with you after whisking you away from our planned date," he further exemplified, catching sight of her slightly worried gaze.

"Do you help your father often?" Maura questioned, intrigued by the nature of their relationship. If her father had been conducting business illegally, Maura was certain she'd be left in the dark.

He nodded, though it took him a minute to speak. She knew he as reluctant to expose too many details, but she could tell he was also relieved to have found someone he felt comfortable enough to share with. "It's always been this way, just me and my dad. My mum left when I barely even three, and I don't really remember her. My dad was never really much of a dad to me – he loves me, don't get me wrong, but he's not the fatherly type. I always viewed him more as my best friend than as the father he really was," here, he paused, as if remembering the initial question Maura had asked. "My dad's a very compassionate guy – he's the kind of guy who will fix someone's car for him, free of charge, whether he's his mate or not. More than once, I remember him inviting a homeless man in for dinner, right off the streets. My dad just cares, though he doesn't have a lot of patience for the legal system," Ian chuckled slightly, and Maura smiled faintly in return. "Charity organizations have so many conditions, long waiting periods, and though they help people in need, they often ignore the people who need it the most – the un-reachables, if you will," Ian further explained. "And that's the kind of people my dad wants to help the most. He has basic medical training, and a boatload of connections from all the people he's helped in his life, so I guess you can say he's started his own Robin Hood-esque underground missionary movement to help people get the supplies and medical treatment they wouldn't have gotten otherwise."

"That's quite noble of him," Maura noted. Perhaps she didn't exactly approve of his methods, but there was a certain honor that accompanied the work he was completing.

"I've always thought so," Ian agreed, looking relieved that Maura did not view the situation with disdain. "I'm glad to help him out, though he's made a restless person out of me," Ian added. "We're always on the go, and I've grown accustomed to that – even grown to crave it. I can't imagine anything but a nomadic lifestyle," he admitted. "But at the same time, sometimes I wonder what would happen if I stuck around someplace long enough to make a meaningful connection with someone – you know, made some actual friends," he trailed off with a sigh.

Maura reached for his hand, gently resting hers atop of his, remembering a time when she worried that she'd never have a friend in the world, but it was something she could no longer relate to. Perhaps her friends were still few and far between, but she no longer felt that insecurity or longing when she thought of the role Jane filled her in her life.

Ian's eyes trailed down to her hand, and the two sat in silence for a moment, the heat of their skin apparent as Ian scooted even closer to her. With his free hand, he reached to cup her cheek, stroking the skin softly with his thumb. As she watched his eyes close, his head inclining toward hers even so slightly, she knew what came next, and for a split second, her heart dropped to her stomach, and she contemplated pulling away.

But Ian's lips found hers before she had the chance to reconsider. His lips were soft and experienced, and she let out a soft moan as she leaned into the kiss, letting his skilled tongue explore. It was nice kissing Ian, and as he pulled away, she was left with a warm feeling in her belly, but nothing more.

"I suppose I should be getting you home soon," Ian spoke regretfully. "And I'm going to need to help my dad load these boxes, and I think I've already required enough physical labor from you for one night," he laughed, rising from the concrete floor. He extended his hand, helping Maura to her feet.

The drive home was filled with small snippets of polite conversation, but for the majority of the ride, Maura was silent, contemplating their budding relationship. The word she pinned to it was the same word she had used to describe their kiss. It was nice – a bland word, but a pleasant one. Perhaps it was still too early on to tell, but she couldn't help wondering if she were missing something more. A few years old than Maura, Ian was charming and experienced, and she had immediately fallen for those attributes, but she was not entirely sure what she was looking for.

As he pulled into her driveway, they spent a few more minutes kissing before she bid him farewell.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Ian grinned, swooping in for a final kiss.

Maura smiled as she stepped out of the car, watching him disappear around the bend before she stepped inside, greeted by Jeremy's warm smile and the empty silence of her immense house.

"Did you have a nice date, Miss Isles?" Jeremy asked politely as she stepped into the main foyer.

"Yes, it was nice," Maura spoke, letting Jeremy's word choice accurately describe it. "He's a—" She was cut off by the shrill ringing of her cell phone, and as she retrieved it from her purse, she immediately recognized Jane's home number. She mouthed a 'sorry' to Jeremy as she scrambled up the stairs, her face feeling a little hot as she answered her phone.

"Jane," she answered. "Is everything alright?" She and Jane were certainly not the typical high school friends who spent hours on the phone together, so Jane's phone call automatically stirred some concern.

"Uh, yeah," Jane answered, her voice a bit gruff. "Everything's fine…I, uh, I just wanted to make sure you date went okay," she trailed off, her voice a bit soft as she squeaked out the tail end of her sentence.

Maura was taken slightly aback by Jane's inquiry. She had remembered only briefly mentioning her date with Ian, knowing that the topic did not thrill Jane. She had not expected Jane to be the friend who called, asking for the details of her night out, so she swallowed heavily, wondering what was appropriate to share. "It was nice," she spoke the simple phrase yet again. "Ian was quite the gentleman," she assured her friend.

"Good," Jane's voice was still rough, and Maura wished she could decipher the emotion behind it. "So you had a nice time?"

It was a redundant question, and Maura still felt uncertain about Jane's motives, but she answered dutifully, regardless. "Yes, we had a nice time."

Jane was silent for a moment. Maura tried to picture her, perhaps twirling a dark curl around her finger in the tension filled silence, her facial expression hard and tough, but laced with the gentle concern she always seemed to have for Maura.

"Did he kiss you?" the question tumbled out, and Maura could hear Jane's heavy breathing on the opposite line, and Maura had to wonder why she suddenly felt so guilty.

"Yes," she answered finally, her voice catching slightly on the simple word.

She was greeted by unbearable silence, and once again, she tried to picture Jane's expression. She licked her lips, wondering if she should say more, but Jane promptly answered. "Oh, okay. Sorry that I bothered you. I'm glad you had a nice time. 'Night."

And with that, the line went dead, leaving Maura with her phone pressed up against her ear. It took her a moment to regain her composure, but once she did so, she promptly hit the redial button, waiting for Jane to answer as she listened to the shrill ring.

"Hey," Jane answered, her voice softer this time.

"Jane," Maura spoke softly. "I feel as though I've done something wrong by going out with Ian," she let the words spill from her mouth. "If you're not okay with this, then please, let me know."

Jane was silent for a long moment before she answered. "I want you to be happy."

Maura let a sigh of air escape through her teeth. Jane had hardly answered her question, but she reminded herself that her annoyance was not going to solve anything. "I am happy, Jane, but I want you to be happy too. And I want you to feel as though you can be honest with me."

She was greeted by silence yet again, waiting for Jane to consider her answer. "I guess," she began, pausing once more before she continued to speak. "I guess I'm just worried that if you have a boyfriend, you'll forget about me."

Maura's heart broke at just the mere suggestion, and she was quick to assure her the opposite, "Jane, our friendship is never going to change for the sake of a boy, I can assure you that," Maura promised fervently.

"I still can't help worrying a bit," Jane muttered, though Maura could sense that she had been reassured for the time being.

"Go get some sleep, Jane. And please don't worry," she practically begged her. "Nothing is going to change between us."

Jane was silent for a moment before she answered. "Thanks, Maur. G'night."

The phone line went dead again, and though they had ended on a good note, Maura wasn't entirely convinced that Jane had come to terms with all this. She sighed, falling back against her pillows, her head pounding heavily from the influx of emotions she had been saddled with today.

She heard a gentle knock on the door, and she lifted her head in surprise, wondering what Jeremy could want at this hour. "Come in."

But as the door creaked open, it was not Jeremy who entered. It was her mother, looking prim in her pantsuit she had worn to her exhibition, her bracelets jingling as the beads rustled together. Maura sat up abruptly, gazing at her mother inquisitively as she pondered to what she owed this sudden visit.

"Jeremy informed me that you went on a date tonight," her mother spoke, positing herself on the corner of Maura's bed, such a motherly gesture that Maura felt her stomach go soft. She noticed her mother held an envelope in her grasp, and she positioned it facedown on her lap, piquing Maura's curiosity.

"Yes," Maura clarified, bringing her train of thought back to the topic at hand. "He also asked me to accompany him to the homecoming dance."

"That sounds lovely," her mother responded, and Maura could not sense if she held any sincerity in her words. "I'm sorry I wasn't here tonight." Or, as Maura translated her apology, _I'm sorry that I had to hear this from the butler. _

"It's alright, Mother," Maura assured her, and her words were true. She had never known the support of her mother long enough to miss it.

"No, Maura, I do wish to be more involved in your life." This time, Maura could tell she meant this genuinely. "Every time I miss a milestone in your life, I remind myself that I can always make amends by being present for the next – but I'm running out of milestones, Maura. And I'm running out of time," she sighed, reaching for the envelope in her lap, handing it to Maura.

Maura flipped the envelope over, the familiar seal in the corner filling her with a wave of dread. She tore open the envelope, though she already knew what was concealed beneath the thick paper.

_Félicitations, Madame Isles. Nous sommes heureux de vous informer qu'il ya une ouverture pour vous dans notre établissement, le Collège Stanislas de Paris…_

Here eyes darted away from the paper as she found her mother's eyes, a knot of worry forming in her chest. She had waited so long for this letter – she had even sent away for the brochure for the esteemed French boarding school herself, but now, as it suddenly became a reality, she only felt a sense of dread.

Her mother raised an eyebrow, waiting for the official verdict. Maura's mouth was dry as she finally forced the words from her lips, "They have an opening for me."

* * *

_A/N: I felt like I should talk about Maura and Ian for a minute, especially because I got a review that mentioned that Maura didn't seem that interested in Jane. I've always seen Maura as being very sexually aware, and while she may not be sexually active as the 14-year-old in my fic, I still have her embody that same trait. Maura likes boys for the physical reasons – she likes boys for that immediate attraction and the physical benefits she can get out of a relationship, but we have yet to see her really relate on an emotional level with a guy (Ian was the closest, but even then, they had a very physical relationship) Jane is someone she can relate emotionally to – perhaps the only person she can truly relate emotionally to, and of course, in due time, the physical element will fall into place. So I assure you that Maura is quite interested in Jane, but she's not as conscious or as uncomfortable about it as Jane is. And while Ian is somewhat of a romantic interest for her, he's hardly the real deal – Maura's just a girl who can appreciate an attractive guy who in turn expresses some interest in her, lol. _


	15. Chapter XV

"Where's Maura?" Frost slapped his tray down against the table, pulling out the chair beside Jane as he was greeted by a scowl.

Jane only snorted as she glowered at her sandwich. "She's probably off somewhere sucking the face off Ian Faulkner."

"Whoa, someone's bitter," Frost raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by her overly sour mood. "I didn't even know she was dating him," he added in an offhand manner, squirting a ketchup packet onto his hotdog.

"Yeah, neither did I, but one charming smile in gym class and suddenly they can't keep their hands off each other," Jane took a particularly vicious bite of her peanut butter and fluff sandwich, a pang of regret settling in her stomach when she looked over to the other half she had pushed aside for Maura.

Before Frost could analyze her livid reaction any further, Maura appeared at the table, looking a bit winded. "I apologize that I'm late. I was just—"

"Shoving your tongue down your boyfriend's throat. Yeah, we figured," Jane spat out before she could consider the consequences of her words. Whatever consolation Maura's words had offered her last night were now gone. She had promised that nothing would change, but Jane was struggling to hold herself together as every semblance of familiarity in her life came crashing down around her.

Maura's mouth hung open, unable to come up with a proper retort for a good few seconds. "Excuse me, what I do in my free time is _my _business, but if you must know, I was merely at the office so I could fill out some paper work," she informed Jane with an indignant tone in her voice. Though her face was creased with irritation, she bit her lip in frustration. "Honestly, Jane, I don't know what you want from me – I never meant for this situation with Ian to make you so upset."

"Fine, sorry. I have been being an asshole," Jane admitted, the hurt still apparent in her voice. "But it does kinda suck, seeing your best friend have so much going for her, when I don't even have the frickin' hope of having someone even ask me to this stupid dance."

Maura opened her mouth, but promptly closed it, as if she were reconsidering her response. Frost, however, rolled his eyes, speaking before Maura could. "Is this honestly all that this is about?" Frost huffed, dropping down onto one knee on the floor beside Jane.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jane hissed, her cheeks turning a little pink as he remained in his current position.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm offering you a proposal," he stated, a wolfish grin spanning across his face. "Jane Clementine Rizzoli, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to the homecoming dance?"

"Frost, you're being ridiculous," Jane whined, her blush deepening as Frost's display turned a few heads and raised some whispers.

"Aw, come on, Jane. You're not gonna turn me down, are you? I just bared my soul to you," he gave her a stern look, though she could see the amusement in his eyes.

She caved, a smile breaking out onto her lips as well. "Fine, fine, I accept. Now get your ass up off the floor before you embarrass yourself anymore." She reached for his hand, tugging him back up into his seat.

"Frost, that was so sweet of you!" Maura gushed, only to earn a glower from Jane, who was not at all pleased by Maura's condescending words. "Honestly, Jane, you should appreciate that you have such a great friend," Maura narrowed her gaze at Jane, pursing her lips in response to Jane's irritable demeanor.

Jane bit back a remark, letting her frustration wane. She let out a weighty sigh before she smiled genuinely in Frost's direction. "You didn't have to do that – besides, I thought you had your eyes on Anna Farrell," Jane reminded him, thinking of the tall, gorgeous star of the girl's basketball team he always spoke so fondly about.

"Ha, yeah, like I'd even have a chance with her," Frost chuckled wistfully. "And I wasn't about to let you sit here and wallow in self pity – besides, what's more fun than going to a dance with one of your best friends, anyway?" He reached for her hand, placing his gently atop of hers.

"Ew, Frost, now you're making this too sentimental," Jane mockingly rolled her eyes, tugging her hand away from his grasp.

"I'm quite excited you'll both be attending," Maura edged her way back into the conversation. "And Jane, I do believe this calls for another shopping trip."

Jane let out a loud groan. "I was saving this half of my sandwich for you, but after that remark, I'm second guessing my generosity," Jane scoffed, though her anger had faded considerably at this point. She couldn't surpress the glint of a smile that danced in her eyes as she spoke the words.

"You've left me with quite the dilemma," Maura teased her back, and Jane began to feel more at ease as she realized that perhaps she wasn't losing her best friend after all.

XXX

Maura had not won, much to her chagrin, but she had not lost either. While Jane had vehemently protested the shopping trip, at last winning by playing the financial card, Maura had come up with alternative compromise.

"Right on this side of my closet," Maura led a grumbling Jane across her room, throwing open the door to her walk in closet. "I have a fair amount of dresses from the past few years that you're more than welcome to try on."

"Maura, I'm really not in the mood to play dress up," Jane whined, folding her arms petulantly across her chest, but Maura did not miss her eyes widening as she took in the rows of dresses.

"I do believe you'd look lovely in red. This shade in particular would accentuate the melatonin in your skin." Maura reached for a deep crimson dress, holding the silky material up to Jane's chest.

"Fine, I'll try it on, but just so I can prove to you how awful it'll look," Jane huffed, snatching the dress out of Maura's grasp.

"Jane," Maura tutted. "Just put the dress on. I need to run to the restroom - I'll be right back." She distinctly heard Jane curse as she stepped out of the room, and though she had the urge to roll her eyes, she could not help but to grin at Jane's endearing stubbornness.

Maura stepped back into the room a minute later, stopping short as she caught a glimpse of Jane's lean form. She had yet to pull the dress over her body, wrinkling her nose as she held it out an arm's length away. Maura noticed she was wearing a one of the bra and panty sets she had purchased with her, realizing that in all the times she had changed with Jane, she had not seen her quite this naked. Though her body was skinny and angular, Maura could not help but to admire the way the simple lingerie hugged her curves, and she found herself content to hover quietly in the doorway, her presence unknown to Jane as her eyes drank in the simple, yet stunning sight of her body. Jane stepped into the dress, and just as Maura had predicted, the color looked gorgeous against her Italian skin and dark hair. It was shorter than it had been on Maura, though it accentuated Jane's long muscular legs in a way that made Maura's stomach stir in a manner that had her questioning her sudden arousal. She had always found Jane beautiful, and she had never had any reservations admitting that she found many women attractive, but the breathless feeling that settled in Maura's belly was quite unlike anything she had felt before.

She watched Jane fumble with the zipper in the back, and she forced herself to swallow a breath, an offer tumbling from her lips. "Would you like a hand?"

Jane wheeled around, her face turning pink in an instant. "Jesus, Maura, you just came out of nowhere. How long have you been standing there?"

"Just for a moment," Maura spoke, which was not a lie, though she had seen much more than she suspected Jane had wanted her to. She stepped up behind Jane, acutely aware of the curve of Jane's spine as she tugged the zipper slowly up her back, her finger skimming Jane's soft skin. She felt Jane shiver from her delicate touch, and Maura kept her hand pressed against Jane's skin for a prolonged moment before she stepped away, watching Jane turn so she could appreciate the dress in its entirety.

"It is most definitely your color," Maura managed to speak, her mouth a little dry.

"I dunno," Jane held her lanky body awkwardly as she looked down at her exposed thighs. "It's a little revealing, don't you think?"

"Not at all," Maura spoke a bit too fast. "Of course, it will ultimately depend on your comfort, but I can assure you that it looks perfect on you." Maura spoke the words with such sincerity that she noticed Jane immediately hold herself with a touch of confidence, the effect making her all the more stunning.

"You sure this color isn't too bold?" Jane spun around, taking a closer look at the dress, still a bit skeptical.

"Jane, do me a favor and don't try to argue with me on this one."

Jane let out a shaky laugh, her eyes nearly melting against Maura's, and then she nodded.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry this is on the shorter side - I wanted to save the actual dance for the next chapter. _

_Also, I feel as though I should address a matter that I have failed to mention definitively, and I apologize because I know the summary is a bit misleading. Since this story deals with Jane and Maura at such a young age, I don't want any of you to continue reading with the expectation that anything overly sexual is going to take place between Jane and Maura. Upon starting this story, I had considered making them older teens so I could make that an option, but instead I felt more inclined to examine the innocent and excitement of first love - which I have enjoyed quite a bit, as I hope you guys have as well. So if you're looking for something hot and heavy, then there's plenty of other stories out there that can satisfy your cravings. I do hope you'll appreciate this story for what it is, but I did not want any of you to have unrealistic expectations. Thank you for everyone who has given me support as I write this, and I hope that you'll stick with me through the end._


	16. Chapter XVI

_A/N: Once again, I apologize for the wait. Real life has caught up with me, and I've been extremely busy. I know I said that the dance would take place in this chapter, but it turned out I needed a address a few more things before exploring that. I hope you enjoy it nevertheless._

* * *

"Nice shot," Frost panted, bending over to rest his sweaty palms against his knees as he caught his breath.

Jane only smirked, her cheeks rosy from her exertion and the nippy fall wind as she snatched up the ball on its first bounce, twirling it agilely on the pad of her pointer finger.

"Show off," Frost scoffed, lunging to snatch the ball away from Jane's grasp, but she agilely dodged him, swooping the ball into her grasp as she took another shot.

"Bam!" She watched the ball slam off the backboard before falling through the net. "I am on fire!"

Frost rolled his eyes at the display. "Well, at least you're finally finding an appropriate outlet for all that anger."

"Anger?" Jane scoffed. "I haven't been angry." Jane waved off Frost's comment, dribbling the ball a bit anxiously.

"Anger _and _denial. You've got it bad, girl," Frost laughed, snatching the ball away from Jane in her moment of hesitance. "Come on, you'd have to be pretty blind not to see how you edge in a snarky comment _every time _Maura mentions Ian."

"I'm not—" Jane quickly stopped herself short. She let out a huff a breath, realizing that denying her anger was futile. "It's just that I'm…" she trailed off, looking for the right word.

"Jealous?" Frost provided for her. Jane snapped her head up as Frost knowingly raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"And what would I have to be jealous of?" Jane asked carefully, though her heart pounded erratically as the moment she had not adequately prepared for assaulted her at a rapid pace. She regretted not keeping her emotions in check as she feared her crush on Maura was a fraction of a second away from being discovered.

"Well it's kind of normal to be jealous of your best friend having a boyfriend when you don't," Frost stated what he thought was the obvious response, cocking his head a bit quizzically as he tried to infer what was pulsing through Jane's mind.

"Oh, right," Jane muttered, taking his response and running with it. "Yeah, I just feel stupid, you know? Making such a big deal out of it…but I feel like I'm losing her."

Frost patted her arm gently. "I can assure you that you're not. Maura's a good friend, Jane. I'm probably not supposed to tell you this, but she confronted me about it the other day. She asked me if I thought she should stop seeing Ian - if it would make you feel better," Frost found her eyes.

"She said that?" Jane was incredulous.

"Yeah, she's afraid that this relationship is gonna ruin your friendship - and I can assure you that's the last thing she wants. She cares Jane, so you should cut her a break a let her be, whether or not you're happy about the whole Ian thing or not," Frost concluded.

Jane tossed the ball from hand to hand, feeling a bit guilty as Frost finished his spiel. She offered him a sheepish smile of appreciation, glad he had taken the time to confront her. "Up for another round?" she grinned, tossing the ball in his direction.

XXX

Jane pushed her sweaty hair away from her face as she entered the warm interior of her house, leaving behind the chilly autumn afternoon. Of course, her home was far from calm and comforting, despite the refuge from the outside chill. Tommy lay on the couch, wailing like a distraught toddler, as Frankie did his best his best to calm the inconsolable boy.

"What the hell happened here?" Jane muttered, and eyebrow raised as she glanced toward Tommy thrashing on the couch.

"Ma and Pop are getting a divorce," Frankie supplied, his voice grim as Tommy only began to shriek all the more. "Pop's moving out tonight - she said she kept trying to tell us, but it never felt like the best time." Frankie shrugged, though his expression was bitter. As if on cue, Jane heard a stream of curse words erupt from their parent's upstairs bedroom.

Jane sat down on the edge of the couch, surprisingly calm, considering the circumstances. She patted Frankie's shoulder reassuringly, letting her younger brother know she was proud of him for the strength he was displaying as he held what little semblance of family they had left together. "It's gonna be okay, kid," she muttered gently.

"You're a lot calmer than I thought you'd be," Frankie admitted. "I thought you'd be the angriest out of all of u-" he stopped short, a vile, accusatory expression sweeping his face. "You knew already, didn't you?"

Jane felt the color drain from her face, quite certain that she had never seen Frankie so upset in her life. "Yeah, Ma told me about a week ag-"

She was taken by complete shock as Frankie barreled into her, tackling her to the floor. "You knew!? You knew and you didn't tell us? What kind of sister are you?" He was surprisingly strong, and Jane had yet to recover from his unexpected reaction as he held her pinned to the ground.

"Frankie!" she yelped as soon as she found her voice. "I didn't mean to keep it from you! I swear, Ma! Ma asked me not to tell. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She squirmed beneath him, attempting to uproot herself from his grasp, but she was quickly subdued, her face slamming against the side of the couch as Frankie wrestled her back to the ground.

She felt a little woozy as she heard a crunch, followed by a searing pain in her nose. In the distance, she heard the faint sound of feet stomping down the stairs, barely audible above Tommy's increasingly loud wails. Woozily opening her eyes, she felt Frankie's weight leave her body, as she she shakily rose from the floor, she was assaulted by a flash of red.

She noticed her mother standing in the entrance of the living room, and she let out a shriek as soon as she caught sight of her daughter. "Boys! Jane! What happened here?"

Jane brought her hand up to her face, noticing for the first time that her chin was soaked with blood.

"Jane, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," she heard Frankie's voice cut through the chaos.

She stumbled toward the door, just as her father emerged from the stairs, his face agape as he took in the sight of his unruly family.

"Jane, wait!" she faintly heard her mother's voice as she groped for the doorknob, but she paid her no heed as she walked out the door.

XXX

It took her a good hour to walk to Maura's house, and by the time she stumbled up the fancy walkway, dusk had fallen and she was chilled to the bone. Her nose was red and running, which she attributed to the cold and the tears she had shed on her trek over. She wiped her face, her snot mixing with the dried blood on her face. She knew she was in no state to present herself at the door, but she reached for the bell, regardless, tucking her her arms against her chest in vain attempt to bar the frigid breeze that sliced through her.

Jeremy answered the door, just as she expected. His face widened in shock, but he kept his demeanor collected as he addressed her. "Miss Rizzoli, please come in."

She nodded gratefully, stepping into the warmth of the foyer, feeling out of place as she always did in the Isles' manner.

"Do we have company, Jeremy?" came an unfamiliar voice, followed by the clack of heels down the front hallway. "I wasn't expec - oh."

Jane lifted her gaze to see a well-dressed woman appear, stopping a few feet away as she took in Jane's disheveled state, clearly wondering how _that _had come to stumble into her immaculate home. She did not look like Maura, but she held the same air and elegance that Jane often saw in her friend, and there was no doubt in her mind that this was the elusive mother Maura often spoke about.

"I'm here to see Maura," Jane muttered weakly, her face flushed from embarrassment as the presumed Mrs. Isles sized her up from head to toe.

"Ah, of course," the woman spoke, finally placing the pieces together. She seemed taken aback for a moment, as if she hadn't quite entertained the idea of Maura having friends, especially ones of Jane's status. "I'm afraid Maura is out on a date at the moment," she muttered regrettably, and Jane could already feel herself inching toward the door, desperate for an escape and a relief to her embarrassment. "But please, stay for a moment. Let me at least give you a cool rag to wash your face and some ice for that nose."

Jane was about to refuse, but the woman had already turned swiftly on her heels, and Jeremy nodded her on, urging her to follow. Jane shuffled in behind her, her old tennies squeaking against the pristine floor. She tucked a sweaty strand of hair behind her ear, standing awkwardly by the edge of the island counter as Mrs. Isles wet a sheet of paper towel for her, offering it to Jane who accepted it hesitantly. "Thank you, Mrs. Isles."

"Of course, my dear. And please, call me Constance," the woman corrected her with a warm smile.

Jane brought the damp paper towel to her face, beginning to scrub at the blood caked to her skin as Constance filled up a baggie with ice. She motioned for Jane to sit at one of the bar stools, and Jane awkwardly hoisted her body up onto the stool as she reached for the bag of ice.

"So I presume you're one of Maura's friends from school then?" Constance addressed Jane as she reached for an antiquated tea pot resting on the stove top. "Tea?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm Jane. Jane Rizzoli. And no thanks," she muttered, wincing slightly as she brought the ice bag to her swollen nose.

Constance began to heat up the kettle herself before joining Jane at the countertop. "However did you manage to end up in this state, if you don't mind me prying?" Constance asked curiously, and Jane felt herself blush again.

"Uh, fight with my brother," Jane answered simply, not at all eager to go into the messy details of her parent's divorce. "And I really should be getting home soon. Tell Maura I said 'hi' though."

"She shouldn't be out too much later if you'd rather wait for her," Constance coaxed her. "She does seem quite taken with that boy - Ian, do you know him?" She continued to make light conversation, but Jane clenched her teeth, Constance's innocent words cutting deeper than she intended them to.

"Yeah, me and Maura have PE with him. He seems nice," she forced the words out, tasting blood on her tongue.

"It surprises me to see Maura making so many meaningful connections during her temporary stay," Constance mused, jumping slightly as the kettle began to wail, startling them both.

"Temporary?" Jane asked, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of her from the impact of the words. She watched Constance carefully pour the steaming water into delicate mug, her mind spinning like a top as she tried to comprehend her words.

"Yes, dear, Maura is to attend boarding school in France. A spot opened up for her just this past week, and she's due to leave in less than a month - did she not tell you?" Constance hardly seemed aware of the panic and havoc she was wreaking.

"No, she told me," Jane nearly gasped the words out, remembering so very faintly that Maura had indeed announced her wait-listed status for the French boarding school only moments after Jane had first met her. The topic had never been addressed again, and Jane had never given it a second thought. "I just didn't realize she'd be going so soon."

The click of the front door interrupted Constance's reply, and a moment later, Maura appeared in the entrance of the kitchen, looking stunning in her snug purple dress as her hair framed her figure in cascading ringlets. "Jane?" Maura asked, her eyes widening in schock as she caught sight of her friend and her jaw further dropping when she noticed the state she was in.

"Maura, darling, I hope you had a nice date," Constance smiled pleasantly at her daughter as she sipped her tea. "Jane here just popped by, and I had her wait to see if you'd be home shortly; I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not," Maura seemed a bit flustered as she tried to comprehend the situation. "Jane, would you like to go upstairs and talk?"

Jane flew out of her seat in a moment, grateful to escape Constance's gaze. She knew the woman meant no harm, but she hardly felt comfortable in her presence. She hopped off the stool, offering Constance an appreciative smile before disappearing up the stairs with Maura.

"I don't even know where to begin questioning you," Maura sighed, plopping down on her bed, watching as Jane continued to hold the icepack to her nose. "Though I assume your current condition led to your unexpected visit."

"More or less," Jane scoffed. "Got in a fight with Frankie. He was pissed that I knew about my parent's divorce and tell him. Everyone's a fucking mess right now," she sighed, falling back against the mattress beside her friend.

"I'm sorry, Jane," Maura muttered, her eyes welling with sympathy as she found her friend's gaze. "I can take a look at your nose and assess the the damage to the best of my ability if you'd like."

"Sure, go for it," Jane shrugged, lowering the icepack from her nose as Maura brought her nimble fingers to her face. She felt her heart flutter, the impact of Maura's gentle touch much more prominent than the pain.

"Hairline fracture of the nasal bone above the lateral nasal cartilage. It's not disfiguring," Maura diagnosed, her fingers dancing to Jane's chin as she coaxed her head to the side. "I can align it for you if you'd like."

"Work your magic," Jane permitted her. "Beats a trip to the hospital."

She brought fingers back up to her nose. "This may hurt a bit," Maura warned before popping the fractured orifice back into place.

"Jesus...ow! A little?" Jane cussed, her eyes watering immensely from the influx of pain. She bit her tongue, determined not to cry as she waited for the initial pain to subside.

"Put some ice on it for the next twenty-four hours - it should keep the swelling to a minimal," Maura instructed her, reaching for the melting baggy on her comforting and handing it to Jane.

"Thanks," Jane muttered, bringing it back to her nose. "So...boarding school in France, huh? When were you gonna tell me your spot opened up?" She brought up nonchalantly, but she could not hide the accusatory tone in her words.

Maura's face paled, clearly not expecting the conversation to spiral off in this direction. "My mother told you, then?" she clarified, her voice a little weak.

Jane nodded. "And I really didn't appreciate hearing it from her - that's something you're supposed to hear from your friend, Maur. That's something you're supposed to trust me with."

"Jane, please, don't be upset. I did intend to tell you, but I've kept putting it off, well...because, it would just make it feel too real, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that yet," Maura admitted with a sigh.

"But it is real, Maura. You're leaving, and you just can't neglect to tell me that," Jane huffed, though her eyes conveyed that she was not truly angry.

"I know. I realize that, and I apologize. Really, I do. I just never expected to make a friend like you. I just never expected leaving to be so hard," she choked over the last word.

Jane lowered her icepack onto the bed, instinctively reaching out to envelop Maura in her grasp. She was surprised to feel a sob shudder though her friend's form, trying to fight the own tears that stung at her eyes. Everything was a mess, everything was falling apart, and Maura, her one constant in this whole mess of things, was suddenly being torn from her life as well.

"I'm sorry, Jane," Maura whispered, reaching to snake her hand into Jane's. "It will be okay," she reassured Jane, and not just for her friend's sake, but for her own sake as well.

Jane nodded, her cheek resting against Maura's soft hair, relishing the moment and trying not to think about how few they had left.

"Would you like to spend the night?" Maura offered. "I hardly want to send you back to the chaos back at your home," Maura spoke, and though her words were true, though the revelation of just how much the two needed each other was the stronger intent of her proposition.

Jane nodded, almost too eagerly, but she was past the point of caring as she continued to cling to Maura.

"Here, call your mother," Maura prodded, reluctantly pulling away from Jane's warm grasp as she reached for her purse, producing her phone. "We hardly need a panicked visit from the police tonight," she forced out a laugh.

Jane took the phone without a protest, smiling gratefully at Maura as she dialed the number. While their future looked bleak, she was determined to savor every moment she could with Maura, hoping that a slew of good memories would somehow ease the impending pain.


	17. Chapter XVII

There were at least fifteen different kinds of shampoo in the shower. And about five different water dials. Jane bit her lip as she stepped into the shower, blindly reaching for one of the dials. A splay of freezing water hit her, and she jumped back in surprise, letting out a yelp as she attempted to adjust the water.

"Are you okay, Jane?" she heard Maura's voice from the other side of the door. Jane would have been more than content to go without a shower, but Maura had firmly insisted. And as Jane had shed her damp, sweaty clothes, she realized that perhaps Maura's prompting had been necessary.

"Uh, yeah," she muttered quickly, still pressed up against the far wall of the shower as the icy water splattered over her. "Just getting the temperature right."

After turning a few more dials, the water was a bearable temperature, and Jane felt her muscles relax as the warm water engulfed her body. She scanned the rows of shampoos and body washes, looking for a recognizable brand, like _Dove_ or _Suave_, but she only found items with fancy looking names she couldn't pronounce. A bit curious, she squirted a bit of each into her palm before lathering her curly locks.

She took longer than she anticipated, but the hot water lasted much longer than it did at home when she had to battle with her brothers for shower time. As she stepped out of the tub into the steamy bathroom, she reached for a thick, white towel, still ogling at all the commodities she hadn't realized she had done without.

She changed into the t-shirt and Soffe shorts Maura had found for her, wishing she had her own clothes to wear, but Maura had insisted that Jeremy wash them before school tomorrow.

"Hey," Jane entered Maura's room once she was clothed, feeling a little shy and awkward as she tugged the shorts down a bit, not quite used to so much of her legs being exposed. Maura was curled up on the left side of her bed, a large novel resting in her lap.

"Hi," Maura smiled at her, reaching for her bookmark. She patted the bed beside her, and Jane more than gladly took the offer.

"Do I smell better now?" Jane jested, curling up against one of the throw pillows.

"Much," Maura laughed, placing her book on her nightstand before rolling onto her side to face Jane. "Are you feeling better?" Her voice took on a serious tone as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

Jane nodded. "Just been a long night. Thank you – for letting me stay."

"You don't have to thank me," Maura assured her. "It's always my pleasure. You could stay every night, and I wouldn't mind a bit."

"Hey, don't put out an offer you're not willing to hold up, because I'm sure as hell tempted to take it," Jane bantered back.

"As you know, I'm quite incapable of lying, so you would be more than welcome – and Jane," once again her voice was serious. "Things will get better at home."

"Hope so," Jane sighed with a shrug, snuggling up against the pillow. Maura reached for the light as they let the darkness engulf them.

Jane shifted, propping her chin up on her hand. "Maur?" she spoke softly into the darkness.

"Yes, Jane?"

"I'm glad I met you," she spoke softly. "I was thinking about it, how it would've just been easier in a way, if we never met. Then I wouldn't have to miss you so much," she choked over the words slightly. She felt Maura's hand snake into hers, feeling her breathe heavily in the silence. "But then the more I thought about it, the more I realized it wasn't true. I just can't imagine my life without you anymore, and even if you're thousands of miles across the ocean, I'm still more grateful that you're my friend, even if that means I gotta lose you."

She heard Maura sniff, taking in a sharp breath. "You're not going to lose me, Jane. Yes, it will be different, once I'm gone, but I assure you it will take much more than an ocean to separate us." She gave Jane's hand a gentle squeeze. "I've never had a best friend before, and I'm not about to lose the one I've got." Jane could hear the tightness in her throat, and she bit her own lip, willing herself not to cry.

She nodded into her pillow, keeping her hand loosely intertwined with Maura's, letting her promise settle.

XXX

Maura awoke the next morning with Jane curled into her side, despite the vast space the queen sized bed offered. The warmth of Jane's body pressed next to hers made it particularly difficult to shake dark haired girl awake, rousing her for the school day that lay ahead.

Jane grunted, only nuzzling herself closer to Maura. Maura bit back a smile, shaking her gently again. "Jane, it's time to wake up." Another grunt. "Jane."

"Huh?" Jane's eyes finally fluttered open, squinting against the dull morning light. "Five more minutes," she muttered, her head lulling back against the pillow.

"Jane!" Maura insisted, her voice a little louder this time.

"Hmph," Jane rolled over, letting out a groan, before fully realizing her surroundings as she recalled the events from the previous evening. "What time is it?"

"5:30," Maura promptly answered.

"What the hell, Maur?" Jane protested, burying her face back into her pillow. "School doesn't start until 7:30."

"Well, I need to shower. And fix my hair and makeup. And eat a proper breakfast, and—"

"And I need to sleep," Jane harrumphed, snuggling deeper into the blanket.

"Well, if you'd like to catch a few more minutes of sleep, then I can wake you when I finish showering," Maura offered.

"Mhmm," Jane muttered, her voice muffled against the pillow, already dozing again.

"…Jane!" The light flickered on.

"I thought you said I could sleep while you showered…" Jane moaned, pulling the pillow over her head.

"I already showered…it's been fifteen minutes. Jane! You have to get up," Maura commanded, ripping the pillow away.

"Maura," her voice came out in a low whine. She squinted an eye open, noticing Maura standing there in her satin bathrobe. A small jolt of energy shot through her as she allowed her eyes to fully open.

"Honestly, Jane, are you always this difficult in the mornings?" Maura huffed, reaching for her comb on the nightstand as she ran it through her long, wet hair.

Jane blinked a few times, sitting up in bed. "I'm not a morning person," she defended, watching as Maura bent down to pull a clean pair of undergarments out from her bureau drawer.

"Clearly not," Maura raised an eyebrow. She walked over to the door, tugging a laundry basket of clean clothes into the bedroom. She grabbed Jane's basketball shorts, tee, and hoodie, tossing them in her direction. Jane reflexively reached out to catch the articles of clothing. "Now get dressed."

Once the two girls were dressed, and Maura's hair was dried and curled, they headed down the spiraling staircase to the foyer. "What would you like for break—oh, Jeremy's not here," she frowned, picking up a note her mother had left on the counter. "He has a family emergency. My mother apologizes, but we're going to have to walk to school."

Jane laughed, waving off Maura's concern. "Well, you live a couple miles further than I do, so we'd better start walking – there's a bagel shop a couple blocks from the school if you wanna grab some breakfast there," Jane offered.

"If we have enough time to spare, then that would be lovely," Maura agreed, reaching for her bag and her tote. "Oh, you don't have your bag with you," Maura realized, frowning in Jane's direction.

Jane shrugged. "I'll survive. Most of my books are in my locker anyway, if that makes you feel better."

The pair stepped out into the chilly autumn morning, though the bright morning sun offered them some warmth as they headed for the city. They walked in silence, content to merely appreciate each other's company.

"Still up for a bagel?" Jane asked, once they neared the school.

Maura nodded, and the pair stepped into the warmth of the shop, ordering their breakfast. They stepped back out onto the street, warm bagels and beverages in hand. "Jane, the school is this way," Maura nodded toward the opposite direction that Jane led them.

"I know. But we're not going to school," a wolfish grin crossed Jane's face as she prodded Maura to follow her.

"Excuse me?" Maura stopped dead in her tracks, her face contorting into an appalled expression.

"Yep, we don't have a ton of time left before you leave, so we're gonna make the best of it," Jane insisted, nodding Maura in the opposite direction.

"We'll plenty of time to spend together later. I hardly think it's necessary to skip school," Maura persisted.

"Come on. Live a little," Jane whined. "You said you've never missed a day, so it's about time, and who better to do it with than me?"

It took Maura a full minute to answer, but her face finally softened as she uttered a reluctant "fine."

Jane smiled triumphantly, beckoning Maura to follow her.

"Where are we going, Jane?" Maura sounded concerned, her brow furrowing as Jane led them into the heart of the city.

She shrugged. "Really don't have it planned that far ahead yet," she barked out a laugh, though her face softened as she offered Maura a reassuring smile. "That's part of the fun of being spontaneous – gotta give you a proper day off, Ferris Bueller."

Fenway Park soon came into view, and Jane tugged at Maura's arm, leading her toward the entrance of the stadium. "It's a shame baseball season is over, because I'd totally make you come to a game with me before you left if it weren't," Jane muttered wistfully. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Maura asked once again, watching Jane doubtfully as she ducked under the railing, edging her way toward a group of people near the front gate.

"Just follow me," Jane muttered, glancing over her shoulder before ducking under the next railing, motioning for Maura to follow. Discretely, she merged herself into the small crowd, grabbing onto Maura's hand and dragging her up along side her as she cocked her head quizzically.

"Ready for your tour?" a young man wearing a Red Sox cap addressed the group, motioning for them to follow him into the stadium.

"Jane!" Maura hissed, trying to twist her arm out of Jane's grasp. "Aren't we supposed to pay for this? If you'd really like a tour, then I hav—"

Jane shushed her, giving her arm a jerk once they were inside the stadium, tugging her into a bathroom near the entrance, the group quite oblivious to their presence as the two girls quickly distanced themselves. "We're not paying for a tour because we're not going on one. Just gotta wait her a couple of minutes."

"Jane, this is completely inappropriate, and I'm quite sure it's illeg—"

"Shh, shh," Jane hissed, hearing a set of footsteps near the door. "Trust me, Frost and I have done this before. You just gotta act natural, and no ones gonna give you a problem." She listened to the footsteps fade, letting out a breath once they were greeted by silence. "Ready?"

"Ready for what, Jane?" Maura was still indignant, letting out a heavy huff of disapproval as Jane let her toward the exit of the bathroom, shifting her tote on her shoulder.

Jane pushed open, the door, making sure the exit area was clear. "You'll see soon enough," Jane grinned, giving Maura's hand a final tug as they left the bathroom, emerging near the stairs of the stadium. "Come on, follow me."

Maura bit her lip, holding back any further remarks as the two began the trek up the steps, Jane quite confidently taking the lead as they plowed toward the top of the stadium.

"Look," Jane commanded, a bit out of breath as the two propelled themselves up the final step. "_This _is what I wanted to show you."

She watched Maura's eyes widen a little as she took in the vast expanse of the field, framed by the Boston skyline. The October sky was a perfect shade of blue, making the dull grass of the field appear sharper.

"Bet you've never seen the city from this angle, huh?" Jane grinned, leaning back against the rail.

"It is quite a view," Maura agreed. "You know, I though I'd seen all of Boston – I've been to every museum, passed by every significant landmark, but I never thought of what the view would be like from up here."

"See, Miss Isles, you're not as cultured as you think," Jane nudged her playfully, scooting a little closer to her as the pair continued to gaze out at the empty field, the faint clamor of the city swirling around them. "You know, I used to be determined I'd be the first female baseball player to play for the Red Sox," Jane mused. "And then when I got too old to play, I'd spend the rest of my life coaching them."

"I thought you'd always wanted to be a detective," Maura spoke, tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear as a wisp of wind whipped by them.

"Nah, not always. It took me til I was older to think a little more practically," she laughed. "But every kid has that crazy dream when they're little. They're convinced they can do anything when they can grow up."

"I wanted to be a time-traveler," Maura admitted with a small chuckle. "I read so many fascinating books about different historical eras that I was intent on creating a way that I could visit them for myself – I even attempted to make a time machine at one point."

Jane laughed again. "Like in _Back to the Future_?"

"Oh, no, I tried to replicate the one found in _The Time Machine, _by H.G. Wells," Maura clarified, earning an eye roll from Jane. "I suppose we do hold onto a piece of that childhood dream, though, no matter how absurd it may be. I still would love to travel, and visiting historical sites offers a bit of the intrigue that time-traveling would hold."

"Well, you're off to a good start. Sure there will be plenty of stuff for you to see in France," Jane muttered, a bit wistfully, digging her toe into the concrete step.

"Oh, yes, there's so much to see in France. I've been there twice, and there's still so much I'd love to do," Maura agreed, though her brow knitted as she turned her head to look at Jane.

"I'll have to come visit you, and you can show me what all the fuss is about," Jane forced a smile, before turning her face back toward the icy blue sky.

"That would be lovely. My mother makes the trip from time to time, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind having some company," Maura immediately latched onto the idea, the tension in her stomach alleviating slightly.

"Guess I'd better start saving up now," Jane smirked, a bit bitterly.

"You know, my mother wouldn't mind buying your ticket if I asked her to," Maura offered gently.

"Nope, I'm earning every penny myself," Jane muttered in a determined manner. "But once we're there, you can pay for all our sight-seeing and our meals at all those fancy-ass restaurants we'll be going to."

"Oh, so I'm the man in the relationship now?" Maura's eyes danced.

"Relationship?" Jane's brow furrowed, her heart skipping an entire beat at Maura casually spoke the words. "Who said anything about dating?"

"You're flying to Paris for me. I'd wager it's safe to say you're the love of my life," she winked at Jane, a smile edging to her lips.

Without a thought, Jane reached for Maura's hand, gently intertwining their fingers. She watched Maura dip her head, her eyes falling on their melded hands, and for a moment, nothing else mattered.


	18. Chapter XVIII

"You're late." Maura's voice was indignant as she opened the door, wearing only her satin bathrobe. Half her hair was piled up on the top of her head while the other half cascaded down her back in curled ringlets. Jane's breath caught as Maura ushered her inside, closing the door behind her. "And your hair!" Maura further tutted, reaching out to finger Jane's unruly mess of curls.

Jane scowled, swatting Maura's hand away as she defended her locks. "What's wrong with my hair? It's not like its gonna do anything else anyway…" she muttered as she followed Maura up the steps, fighting to keep her eyes averted from her ass, which swayed beneath her knee length robe.

"I don't know how you expect me to find the time tame it before we have to leave," Maura exasperated, throwing open her closet door as she retrieved Jane's dress for her, handing it to her bewildered friend.

"Maur, we've got two hours before the dance starts," Jane cocked her head, a bit incredulous and slightly annoyed.

"_Only_ two hours," Maura contradicted. "And during that time, I have to finish my own hair and makeup and then move on to yours!"

"Um, Maura, we can just throw my hair up into a ponytail, and I'm sure as hell not gonna be wearing any makeup," she let out a disgusted noise at just the thought, though Maura's eyes told her otherwise.

"So what are you wearing anyway?" Jane asked curiously as Maura stepped back in front of her mirror as she continued to curl her honey-colored locks.

Maura let out a sigh, and Jane noticed her anxiety lessen slightly as she let her lips curve into a tiny grin. "You'll see soon enough."

Jane, meanwhile, fumbled as she removed her hoodie, tank, and jeans, reaching for the tiny red dress. Had the neckline always plunged this low? She cringed as she adjusted it over her angular body, wondering how she was supposed to survive an entire evening in this thing.

It took Maura a good fifteen more minutes to perfect her hair, and though Jane continually threw jabs at her, she could not stop the fluttering in her stomach as she watched Maura doll herself up more so than usual.

"Almost done with my makeup," Maura promised, lips parted in a delicate 'O' as she applied her mascara. "And then it's on to 'Project Jane.'"

Jane snorted, slumping back onto the bed, dreading her makeover just as much as she was looking forward to it. Doing anything with Maura added a bit of a thrill, even the most menial tasks, but even for Maura's sake, the idea of being primped and prodded seemed a bit painful.

"Done!" Maura smacked her lips together, which gleamed with the coat of gloss she had just applied. "Let me put my dress on, and then we'll begin."

She disappeared into the closet, and though a dress really was just a dress in Jane's mind, she found her curiosity piquing as she wondered what Maura would emerge in.

"What do you think?"

Jane jerked her head up at the sound of Maura's voice, her eyes widening slightly as Maura stepped out of her closet in a deep purple dress. It was strapless and fitted nicely against her form, curving around her thighs, and Jane felt her throat go a bit dry as she formulated an answer. "You look…" she coughed, nervously reaching to spiral one of her curls around her finger. "It's great."

Maura beamed, smoothing the material a bit in the front. She stepped over to Jane, reaching for her hair again. Jane bit her lip, waiting for Maura's assessment. "Would you be opposed to straightening your hair?"

Jane scoffed once again. "Good luck with that."

"Oh, I'm fairly certain my flat iron could handle it," Maura mused, running her fingers through Jane's hair.

A tingle shot up Jane's spine, and all at once she realized she'd be willing to do anything if it meant having Maura continue to touch her hair. "Worth a shot then," she shrugged, trying her best to keep her voice steady.

Maura seemed positively thrilled at the challenge, and she sat Jane down at her desk chair, letting her flat iron heat up as she pinned up the top layers of Jane's hair, her fingers delicately skimming the base of Jane's neck. Jane was beginning to doubt she'd make it out without heart failure.

"You have such lovely, thick hair, Jane," Maura complimented, beginning the arduous task of taming of her curls. Jane felt her skin go warm, and she knew it wasn't from the heat radiating off the straightener.

"Is it working?" Jane asked, breaking the silence a few minutes later, reaching up to touch the soft splay of hair that replaced her typical coarse curls.

"Yes, though it will take a little while. The disulfide bonds in your hair are quite a bit stronger than mine," Maura informed her.

"English please?" Jane teased her, craning her neck as she tried to catch a glimpse of her hair in the mirror across the room.

She could practically feel Maura rolling her eyes. "I assure you that I did not speak another language than English, Jane. The proper response would be to ask me to rephrase in Layman's terms...and keep your head straight ahead unless you'd like to obtain a second-degree burn."

"Fine, fine," Jane sighed. She reached up to touch the soft hair again, having difficulty believing it was hers. "This is gonna be like Anne Hathaway in _The Princess Diaries_, isn't it?"

"Beg pardon?" Maura spoke, unfamiliar with the reference.

"Damn, for being so smart, I forget how behind your are on pop culture references," Jane laughed. "We'll watch it next time we have a sleepover."

Nearly forty minutes later, Maura ran the iron through her hair a final time, smiling at her handiwork.

"Thank god!" Jane exclaimed, immediately rising from the chair, but Maura immediately pinned her back down.

"Not so fast," Maura firmly told her. "Let me apply your makeup first, then I'll allow you to see."

"Is makeup really necessary?" Jane whined, not sure how she felt about having a bunch of crap smeared all over her face. She had never worn makeup before, and she was certain she'd just look ridiculous anyway.

"Arguing is futile, Jane," Maura warned. "I promise you I won't overdo it," she attempted to assuage her, reaching for a pair of tweezers.

"What are those for?" Jane eyes her suspiciously.

"Your eyebrows," she spoke, leaning in to attack them before Jane could protest.

"So when do we actually get to the makeup part?" Jane moaned, after Maura had plucked her eyebrows and applied a moisturizing face cream. She was beginning to realize why Maura had worried about the time.

"You're trying my patience, Jane," Maura warned her, holding her foundation next to Jane's rosy skin. "Much too light," she tutted softly. "You shouldn't need it – your skin is quite smooth on its own." She reached to rub her thumb gently against Jane's cheek, and the inevitable butterflies erupted in her stomach once again.

"All right, I'm going to need you to close your eyes for me and stay very still," Maura commanded as she stepped toward Jane with a tube of liquid eyeliner.

Jane begrudgingly nodded, letting her lids flutter shut. Maura brought her face close to Jane's, her breath washing over Jane's cheeks. With one hand, she gently supported her chin, bringing the tiny brush to her eyes. Jane licked her lips, reminding herself to breath. She thought about just how close Maura's face was to her. She thought about how easy it would be to kiss her. _Stop_, she scolded herself, trying to push the delightful images out of her mind as her heart rate noticeably increased.

"There," Maura spoke, her face still close to Jane's. Jane opened her eyes just sliver, immediately assaulted by Maura's plump lips. She slammed them shut again. "Don't move – I'll do your eyeliner next."

Jane was certain she had lost a few years off her life by the time Maura had finished, on account of her heart pumping so violently. She had snatched the lipstick away from Maura, insisting upon doing it herself because she was quite certain her vital organs would shut down if Maura even indirectly touched her lips.

"You're done," Maura finally spoke, taking a step away from the chair as Jane stood up. As Maura admired her handiwork, her face changed, her eyes widening a little as she eyed Jane from head to toe.

Jane, misinterpreting her expression, immediately panicked. She reached up to touch her face, certain that she looked like a buffoon. "Do I look stupid?"

"No, are you kidding?" Maura's tone was incredulous. "Really, you don't know? You're gorgeous, my friend." She reached for Jane's arm, leading her over to the full length mirror across the room. "See?"

Jane did a double take as she stared at the figure in the reflection of the mirror. Her sleek hair fell just below her breasts and had lost a considerable amount of volume, making her sharp cheekbones and facial features stand out instead of being consumed in the usual mess of curls. Maura, as promised, had not overdone it. The dark eyeliner and mascara accentuated her dark eyes, and the hint of blush and lipstick complemented her rosy Italian skin. The girl standing before her could certainly not be the scrubby tomboy who had clamored into Maura's house just hours before. She reached up to touch her hair, her mouth hanging agape.

"Don't look so surprised, Jane – you're a very beautiful girl," Maura spoke, drawing Jane out of her trance.

"Nah, you just made me look decent," Jane protested.

"Oh, goodness no," Maura contradicted. "I merely accentuated what was always there." She reached for Jane's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Now come on. Frost and Ian should be here for pictures any minute."

The thought of Ian spoiled Jane's mood considerably, but she bit back a remark as she shoved her feet into the black heels Maura had forced her to purchase earlier in the week. She wobbled slightly before heading for the stairs, waiting for Maura. "Maur, you coming?"

Maura's brow furrowed as she picked her phone up from the dresser top, checking the screen. "Ian's not going to be able to make it for pictures."

Jane's stomach immediately flopped excited, though her words conveyed the proper response. "Aw, Maura that sucks. If you bring your camera, I'll take some pics for you guys once we get there."

Maura smiled appreciatively, and the doorbell rang a moment later, signaling Frost's arrival. The girls walked down the stairs, Maura at a considerably faster pace as Jane tried her best to walk in a dignified manner.

Frost stepped over the threshold, his red tie matching the color of Jane's crimson dress. "Ladies, you both look stunning," he complimented, raising an eyebrow at the two girls. "Now where's Jane?" he joked, his eyes flashing to her face.

"Shut up, Frost," she shoved his arm lightly, giving him a somewhat bashful smile.

"You clean up well," Frost smirked in return, producing a corsage to fasten to Jane's wrist. "Here you go, m'lady."

"Thank you, my good sir," Jane bantered back. Out of her peripheral vison, she noticed Maura chewing on her bottom lip, and suddenly she felt guilty about wishing terrible things upon Ian. "Ready to take some pictures?" she called over to Maura, watching as her face brightened considerably. "And by pictures, I mean one because there is no way I'm letting this turn into a photo shoot."

But, of course, Maura had convinced her otherwise. After having Jeremy take a few outdoor shots in Maura's spacious backyard, she had herded them inside, insisting on a handful staircase angles.

"Maura, my face hurts," Jane whined through yet another fake smile as Jeremy snapped another picture. She let her muscles relax before stomping down the steps. "Okay, we're done. I'm pretty sure we effectively captured the moment and all that jazz. Is Ian almost here?" she asked as causally as she could.

"He's going to meet us there," Maura informed them, consulting her phone once again as Jeremy led the three of them out toward the car. Maura took one of the end seats, her face looking a bit sullen as she averted her gaze to the window.

"I'm sorry that-" Jane stopped herself, reigning the 'Ian is being a dick' half of her comment in. "I'm sorry, Maur. Did he tell you why he's running late?"

"His father needed him - they're having, um...a bit of a family emergency," she stated, and Jane suspected there was more to it, but she knew better than to prod.

They arrived at the school shortly, where the gymnasium had been converted into a dance floor. She watched Maura scan the crowd for Ian, and as Maura had down so often to reassure her, Jane reached out to squeeze Maura's hand, offering her a small smile. "He'll be here." She let her irritation wane, reminding herself that she was not selfish enough to sabotage Maura's happiness.

"Looks like the two lesbos decided to come together after all," Grant whistled, approaching the two girls from the opposite end of the gym. Kimmy, a curvy blonde in baby dress, clung to his arm, laughing much too loudly at his remark.

"Grant, do I have to remind you about what I did to your face last tim-" Jane began, but Maura hushed her, gently tugging her in the opposite direction.

"It's not worth it, Jane," Maura warned her, throwing a glance over her shoulder to make sure that Grant and his date were out of sight.

"Such an asshole," Jane muttered, kicking the toe of her shoe against the floor.

"You know he's just jealous," Maura reminded her, patting her arm gently.

Jane let out a snort, but her snide remark never left her lips as a dark haired boy in pinstriped suit approached the pair, a sloppy smile on his face. "Oh, hell, no," Jane muttered under her breath, fighting the urge to roll her eyes.

"Giovanni!" Maura exclaimed, her voice quite unpleasantly surprised. She retreated, huddling closer to Jane.

"Hey, sweet cheeks. Thought you said that Austrian dude was taking you?" he cocked his head, his eyes falling on the two girls.

"Ian is _Australian, _and yes, he is my date - he's merely running late," Maura informed him with a small huff.

"Aw, what a shame - that he's running late, I mean," Giovanni elaborated, flashing her a grin. "Not that he's your date. I mean, I'll gladly take his place if he don't show up though, babe."

"Giovanni, I'm warning you-" Jane started.

The Italian boy held up his hands in defense, clearly know the consequences of getting on Jane's bad side. "Whoa, I was just offering, not need to jump down my throat. Though can I offer you a dance before he gets-"

"Giovanni," Jane warned again.

"Okay, okay, I catch your drift. Just know the offer stands, sweet cheeks," he winked at Maura before merging back into the crowd.

"Thank you, Jane," Maura left out a lofty sigh, her hand still curled against Jane's.

"Has he been bothering you long?" Jane questioned her, irritated that annoying kid from her childhood was still around edging his cocky self into her life.

"He's in my health and wellness class," Maura informed her. "And well, he's quite persistant, to put it gently," Maura laughed lightly.

"Well if you ever need me to pummel him, just say the word," Jane immediately offered, unable to suppress an eye roll.

"Honestly, Jane, you have to stop reverting to violence. And I won't have to put up with him much longer," Maura regrettably reminded her. Of course she had to bring up the topic of France. Jane bit her lip, the reminder always leaving her feeling like she'd been punched in the gut. Maura, sensing the tension of the moment, let out small sigh. "I'll be right back - I'm going to get a drink."

As Maura left to grab a glass of punch, Jane spotted Frost. "Sorry, just saying hi to some of my basketball buddies," Frost apologized. "But I'm all yours now," he muttered with a wink, taking Jane's hands in his own. "You seem distracted," he noticed as he let her own to the dance floor.

"Just hope Maura's okay," Jane admitted. "Ian's still not here."

Frost's body immediately felt into rhythm with the music, Jane awkwardly swayed, her eyes darting around the gym, falling on the other couples who were quite enthusiastically grinding up on each other. She caught sight of Maura by the edge of the refreshment table, scanning the crowd once again. She sipped her punch delicately, her lips curving into a noticeable pout. After a moment, she let out a tiny sigh, disposing of her drink before making a beeline for the restroom. Jane edged away from Frost, craning her neck to track Maura's gait across the gym. Her eyes darted back to Frost, a look of worry creasing her face.

"Go ahead, Jane," he nodded. "I'll go hang out with the guys for a bit." He flashed her a grin, letting her know that his offer was backed with genuineness.

Jane shot him her own smile of appreciation, battling her way through the throng of sweaty couples as she entered the bathroom. It was relatively crowded - a handful of girls were reapplying their makeup and a group of obviously drunken upperclassmen talking loudly near the doorway. Jane pushed past them, hearing the faint sound of sniffles coming from the farthest stall. She rapped lightly against the door, pressing her ear up against the crack. "Maur?"

She sniffed again, her voice thick with tears. "I need a moment, Jane."

Jane let out a heavy sigh, tapping her foot for a few moments. "Please, Maur. Come out and talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about," Maura spoke softly.

"Maura, you're trying my patience," she spoke, her voice imitating Maura's tone from earlier. She heard a soft chuckle. A moment later, the door clicked open, revealing a blotchy-faced Maura, a tiny grin playing on her lips. Jane ushered her out of the bathroom, leading her a few feet away from the door so they could hear their conversation.

"So is he not coming?" Jane reluctantly stayed on undesirable topic of Ian.

"No - but he hasn't texted me back yet, and my intuition tells me that he's not going to make it. I honestly don't know why it's upsetting me so much," she admitted.

"Hey, he stood you up," Jane immediately latched onto Maura's side. "That's all the reason to be upset."

"I know," Maura muttered softly. "My emotions had just been on edge lately - I know that our friendship is hardly ending, but I keep thinking how every time we do something, it will be the last time we do it for a long time," she sighed, her voice a bit shaky.

Jane's eyes widened a little, realizing that Maura's tears really weren't meant for Ian at all. She bit her lip, forcing back the sudden influx of tears she suddenly felt welling in her own eyes. She let out a quivering sigh of her own, reaching for Maura's hips as she began to sway gently in time with the faint music emendating from the gym.

"What are you doing?" Maura laughed softly, though her arms automatically reached to snake around Jane's neck.

"Dancing with you, isn't it obvious?" She tugged Maura's hips a bit closer to hers before leaving her hands to rest there lightly. "This is your first and last high school dance, so I figure we might as well make it memorable. I'm sure Frost wouldn't mind sharing his date for just a little.

"Oh, Jane," Maura's voice trembled again. She tucked her head into the crook of Jane's neck, a small sob shuddering through her. Jane reached to wrap her arms around her frame, continuing to sway gently. She rested her chin against Maura's head, relishing the moment as she tried to imprint the feeling of Maura's body against hers into her mind.

"Do you want to go?" Jane asked softly, the question that she had tactfully suppressed for so long finally escaping from her lips.

It took Maura a moment to register the context of her question before letting a stream of breath escape her lips. "I'm already enrolled, Jane," she muttered weakly.

"That's not what I asked," Jane spoke in return, prompting her further.

Maura was silent for a moment, continuing to sway against Jane. Jane felt the steady stream of her breath pulse against her neck before she finally answer, her voice still soft. "It's been my dream to study in France since I've been a little girl. I've waited so long for this," Maura feebly argued.

Jane pursed her lips, waiting a good minute before she answered. "I'll miss you."

"Oh, Jane, I'll miss you too." Maura's voice was heavy with tears once again.

Jane's natural instinct was to fight, to argue - after all, one simple choice on Maura's behalf could reverse this in a mere moment. But she knew better to force her friend into a decision she wasn't ready to make. It wasn't her place, and the only thing that kept her from fighting harder was her love for the other girl, no matter how much she hated that she had to let her go.

"Ready to go back?" Jane asked after a moment, though her arms still rested securely around Maura's form.

"Not yet," Maura murmured, her nose brushing against Jane's neck. "I just want to stay right here for a little while."

* * *

_A/N: I apologize that these past chapters have been so bittersweet - and that I continue to drag out the France storyline. I promise this isn't going to be 50 more chapters of them talking about how much they're going to miss each other, haha. Things are really going to start picking up in the next chapter, so I hope you're ready for the ride ;)_

_Thanks again for all your feedback. I appreciate it so much._


	19. Chapter XIX

The warm scent of Italian sausage wafted from the kitchen into the living room as Jane sat curled up against a throw pillow of the couch, reading _Romeo and Juliet _for her English class. Faintly, she could hear her mother singing, and Jane smiled involuntarily, glad to hear that the simple melody had replaced her recent influx of tears.

Jane's life was beginning to fall back into back into a comfortable order. Without the stress of her parents' bickering, their family dynamic took on a lighter tone. Even Jane was less cynical, and Tommy had been getting into a few less fistfights.

Even Ian had disappeared without a trace, much to Jane's delight. It was almost as if everything had begun to work out in her favor, until she remembered that Maura was due to leave for France in less than two weeks. While it certainly put a damper on her mood, she found herself appreciating the small moments they had left. Though she was far from admitting her feelings to Maura, she had never felt closer to the other girl, and she began to feel more confident that their distance would not change their relationship.

She glanced down at the page, willing herself to concentrate as she read of Romeo and Juliet's first encounter. The passage was ridden with superfluous words, but as she reached the end of the page, she found her lips curving into an involuntary smile.

_Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! __For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night._

She was turning into such a sap, but she could not help envisioning Maura as Juliet. As Romeo gushed over her incomparable beauty, Jane was certain that no one else would be fit to fill the role.

The shrill ring of the doorbell startled her from her reverie.

"Jane, would you get that?" her mother called from the kitchen.

Jane dog-eared the page of her book, rising from the couch. Curiously, she approached the door, wondering who her mother would be expecting. As she unhinged the lock, she was greeted by the last person she expected to see. "Korsak?"

"Oh, um, hi, Jane," he shifted from one foot to another, his cheeks turning pink beneath his beard. He wore a dark red button up top and a pair of slacks, and in his hands, he held a vibrant boutique of flowers.

Jane eyed him suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

He coughed, clearing his throat. "I'm here for dinner. Your mother invited me."

Jane fought the urge to roll her eyes as she motioned him in, letting out a small huff as she led him into the kitchen. "Your date is here," she hissed in her mother's direction, her eyes dripping in disapproval.

Her mother shot her a look that was just as scathing. "So glad you could make it, Vince," she smiled sweetly, abandoning the stove as stepped toward the man, her expression softening into a smile.

"Thanks for inviting me, Angela," he spoke, his gaze shooting back to Jane who was hovering on the threshold, still appearing quite annoyed. Her turned back to Angela, offering her the flowers.

"Thank you! They're beautiful!" she gushed appropriately, her own cheeks blushing faintly. Jane fought the urge to gag. "Jane, would you get a vase of water for these?" Angela requested as she stepped back toward the stove.

"Fine," Jane muttered, stomping across the kitchen to retrieve a vase, standing on her tippy toes as she reached for the highest shelf on the cabinet. She sloshed some water into the bottom before turning to Korsak, tossing out her hand as she demanded, "Here." He dutifully handed her the flowers, still looking a bit uncomfortable as Jane practically throttled the flowers into the vase.

"Jane, would you mind taking Detective Korsak into the family room for a bit? I'm almost done with dinner," her mother requested sweetly.

This time, Jane did roll her eyes, but she obliged, leading a flustered Korsak to the nearest couch. She sighed dramatically, narrowing her eyes in his direction. "So?"

"Jane," he took in a breath, trying to reason with her. "I know that this isn't the most ideal situation, but I really do like your mother, and -"

"Okay, can we just stop right there?" Jane interrupted, propping herself up as she turned to face him. "Because I'd really rather not talk about my mother's relationship right now...how about that case?" she swiftly changed the subject before he could edge in another comment. "Any new leads yet?"

Korsak looked relieved to be off the hook as well. He let out a breath, the color from his cheeks diminishing slightly. "Nothing new yet. We've reached a dead end - and the killer hasn't struck for a few weeks now, so it looks like he's trying to lay low."

"So really you got nothing new? Or just stuff you can't tell me?" Jane prodded, desperate to keep this conversation going.

"Nothing, Jane, I'm not pulling your leg," he promised her. "That's how it works in the business - it's not like those cop shows where they resolve a case in just one episode. Stuff like this takes time, and sometimes you never get the answers."

Jane sighed, trying to think of a plausible reason to excuse herself when her brother clamored down the steps, following the mouth watering scent of Angela's home cooked meal through the family room. The two boys, however, were deterred for a moment as their eyes fell on Korsak. Frankie raised an eyebrow knowingly, making eye contact with Jane, while Tommy was not so tactful.

"Ma and Korsak kissing in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-" he began to chant loudly before Frankie swiftly smacked him.

Jane burrowed deeper into the couch. It was going to be a long evening.

XXX

"It was so awkward, Maur, I can't even begin to tell you," Jane huffed into the receiver of the phone, her legs swinging over the edge of her bed.

"I think its sweet," Maura contracted.

"Bleh," Jane retorted.

"It could be worse. She could have met some desperate middle aged man on a dating website - at least you know Detective Korsak, and he's certainly someone you can put up with," Maura further added.

"Meh," Jane sighed.

"Well, you're talkative tonight," Maura chuckled, her soft laughter making Jane's stomach jump.

"And you just used sarcasm. You really must be spending too much time with me," Jane jibed back at her, gripping the phone a little tighter. She hated how emotional she'd get, even in these lighthearted conversations.

"There is no such thing as spending too much time with you, Jane," Maura reminded her, and all at once, the conversation grew heavy, and they were both silent for a moment as they listened to each other breathe. "I should finish my homework," Maura finally muttered, her voice just a little shaky.

"Right," Jane agreed, staring at the ceiling, her eyes watering a little.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jane," Maura muttered sweetly.

Jane rolled onto her side, letting out a heavy sigh. "Yeah, you too, Maur." She listened to the silence for a minute before the dial tone began to blare.

XXX

"Like this?" Jane clarified, gently cutting the thin skin of the frog's belly with the scalpel, watching it tear smoothly.

"Mhmm," Maura muttered, though she pursed her lips, inhaling a breath as she watched.

"This kills you, doesn't it?" Jane laughed, taking a pin so they could keep the small amphibian pried open. "Having to supervise me instead of doing it all yourself?" Mr. Chesholt made sure that each partner did an equal amount of work, often resulting in a very frustrated Maura as she watched Jane complete a procedure for the first time.

"It certainly is not my favorite task," Maura muttered, though she forced a smile. "Though you are getting quite handy with a scalpel. You don't leave a lot of room for me to worry."

Jane grinned proudly. "It will be good practice for you. You know, when you're a doctor and you have to supervise all these incompetent med students or whatever."

"I do home my interns are as competent as you," Maura replied, taking over for Jane as she began to place the pins the identical organs.

Only a few moments later, Mr. Chesholt announced clean up time, instructing the students to clean their instruments and cover their trays so they could complete the lab the following day. Maura was always first to volunteer for clean up duty, feeling compelled to make sure the task was done thoroughly and properly, much to Jane's delight, who was always more than willing to shirk the duty.

As the bell rang, Mr. Chesholt called her name, directing her attention toward him. "Would you mind staying a moment?" he spoke as the bell rang, his lips curving into a small smile as he glanced at her over the rim of his glasses.

Jane gripped her bag a bit tighter, her eyes darting toward Maura, who nodded in her direction as she continued for the door. She bit her lip, fighting the uneasy feeling in her stomach.

"Yes, Mr. Chesholt?" Jane hesitantly approached the desk, wondering what he could want from her.

"I have an opportunity for you, Jane." The smile on his lips only grew larger, and she could feel herself tense involuntarily. "I was told to pick a student to participate in our district wide science fair, and I wanted to extend the offer to you."

"Oh, um, you probably meant to talk to Maura, then," Jane stuttered, though she almost bit back a laugh at the irony.

"Oh, no, I fully intended to ask you first," Mr. Chesholt assured her. "I have no doubt that you have the potential; Ms. Isles has had many opportunities, but I do believe its your turn to shine, Jane." Jane felt a warm feeling settle in her stomach which quite contradicted his icy stare. "Just think about it," he concluded. "You can come back to me with several ideas if you do decide to take this offer."

Jane nodded, edging for the door, feeling like a litte surreal and overwhelmed all of a sudden. "Thank you, sir," she dutifully responded. She hoisted her bag up on her shoulder, watching as Mr. Chesholt reach to take a sip of his beverage from a delicate mug that Jane had not noticed before. And all at once, she nearly stumbled over her footing, her heart palpating wildly as she watched him raise the teacup, which perfectly matched the pattern of the one Korsak had found on the scene of the crime.


	20. Chapter XX

_A/N: If I say I'm super sorry, will you forgive me for waiting so long to update? Schoolwork and finals have gotten the best of me, and the last month has been so busy, so I apologize that I haven't had time to dedicate to this fic. But don't you worry, I'm back in full swing, so without further ado, here's the latest installment._

* * *

"I'm telling you guys, it was the same exact cup," Jane persisted, stabbing the center of her potpie a little too harshly as she fought to make her point.

Maura, on the other hand, delicately took a bite of her un-crusted peanut butter and fluff sandwich. "You're making a lofty assumption, Jane," she raised an eyebrow as Jane let out an irritated huff. "Even if you were certain that it was the same cup, the chances of it coming from the same set as the ones Detective Korsak found is highly improbable."

"Come on, Maur, think about it," Jane pressed on. "What are the odds - wait, don't answer that," she quickly added as Maura opened her mouth, no doubt to spout out a statistic. "But seeing Mr. Chesholt with the same exact cup as the one from the both of the crime scenes does raise some suspicion, doesn't it?"

Maura caved reluctantly, "Yes, Jane, it is mildly suspicious, but it hardly counts as evidence."

"It could be evidence if we snuck into his room later and brought it down to the station!" Jane exasperated.

"And do you realize what the ramifications could be?" Maura countered, twirling a curl around her finger in irritation. Her lips curved into a pout, distracting Jane for a small moment.

"Suspension after finding the breaking evidence in a murder case? Yeah, totally worth it," she raised an eyebrow as she shoveled a forkful of peas into her mouth.

"You do realize you're accusing Mr. Chesholt of murder?" Maura reached to take a sip of tea from her thermos, raising an eyebrow of her own.

Jane snorted. "He's sure as hell creepy enough."

"Jane!" Maura scolded. "You're being irrational...going off a hunch-"

"It's more than a hunch!" Jane interrupted. "I have _damn_ evidence. And yeah, I do have a bad feeling about this. What if this is the answer, Maura? What if I've found the lead Korsak needs? I know I'm not a trained detective, but I've got this gut feeling...and what if I'm right?"

Maura sighed delicately, considering her words, careful not to wound Jane, but still adamant about conveying her disdain. "Then why don't you merely tell Korsak about your discovery? If he merits it of importance, then the evidence will be in very capable hands. It's not your place to obtain this evidence yourself, Jane."

"But don't you see, if we wait, we lose our chance. Getting the police involved is just gonna waste time and cause drama...giving him the opportunity to get away. And who knows if that cup is even gonna be here tomorrow? _This_ is our chance, Maura. I just feel it. It's what we got to do...and if you're not in, well, then I'll just do it alone."

"Jane!" Maura exclaimed, running out of arguments. "Frost, would you please talk some sense into her?"

Frost, who had been quite silent during the whole exchange, darted his head up from his tray, stopping mid-chew. "Oh, there is no way in hell I'm getting in the middle of this."

Maura crossed her arms against her chest, raising an eyebrow as if to say she expected otherwise. Jane huffed. "Come on, too scared to get on her bad side and admit you agree with me?"

"Excuse me?" Maura swiveled on her seat, narrowing her gaze at Jane. "I'm the one presenting the logical argument."

"Well, _I'm_ the one with the-"

Frost promptly cut the two off. "Okay, fine, I'll talk." The two girls both turned toward him, expectantly giving him their full attention. "You're both making good points. Maura - you're right to point of the risks, and it's probably not our place to tamper." Maura looked a bit smug as he spoke, earning a distasteful scoff from Jane. "But Jane's making some good arguments, too. It matches the cups that Korsak found on both crime scenes, which certainly raises some warning flags - you said you haven't ever seen any like them before, so they might be pretty rare, right?" Jane nodded, now her turn to look a bit smug.

"Well, I'd hardly like to make this assumption based on Jane's limited knowledge of fine china," Maura interjected.

"Okay, okay, besides that point," Frost tried to assuage the two, "it seems just suspicious enough that we shouldn't write it off - Jane's right in that regard. But we have to be careful about what we do with this information."

"It sounds like you already have a plan," Jane grinned a bit wolfishly, avoiding Maura's glare of disdain.

"I have been speculating," Frost admitted. "But that doesn't mean we should do it..." he answered carefully.

"Just spill it, Frost," Jane whined, leaning forward in her seat as she waited for him to speak.

"Maura, you have AP Biology later this afternoon, right?" Frost clarified.

Maura reluctantly nodded, making sure keep her disapproving glare painted on her face.  
"Okay, so you could grab us a few pairs of latex gloves from the lab, right?" he asked.

"And why on earth would I do that?" Her voice was filled with as much contempt as the expression she wore.

"Because Jane can't get her fingerprints all over over the cup, let alone Mr. Chesholt's room," Frost spoke.

Jane pumped her fist in victory, egging Frost on.

"Do you remember when the eighth grade basketball team pulled that prank last year?" Frost turned to Jane.

While she wasn't sure of the relevance, she nodded, adding with a snort. "Releasing a bunch of chickens into the halls is kind of hard to forget."

"Exactly, and the only way we were able to pull that off was because I tampered with the school's security system through my laptop and disabled all the cameras," he spoke a bit proudly.

"Oh, I see where this is going!" Jane clasped her hands together in delight. "You think you could do that here?"

"Pretty sure I could - I'd have to play around a little, but I have study hall after this so I think I could figure it out in time," he grinned over at her. They both avoided Maura's gaze, which was becoming more sour by the moment. "Do you know if he has class last period?"

"Pretty sure," Jane answered, glancing toward Maura for confirmation, and she stiffly nodded.

"Okay, that's good. That means he won't leave before we have a chance to get in," Frost continued. "But we'll need to create a diversion to get him to leave temporarily. I was thinking a simple email about a fake staff meeting would do the trick."

"Brilliant," Jane breathed. She had been concocting a similar plan in her mind, but with Frost's technological skills involved, the plan was becoming much more foolproof. "Okay, so what else are we missing? If this all goes to plan, I mean," Jane pondered out loud.

"Well, you don't have a phone, which kind of sucks, in case I need to tell you to get out of here," Frost replied, though his gaze fell on Maura, quickly followed by Jane's own eyes.

"Fine, you may use my phone, but only if I am able to participate in this outlandish scheme as well," Maura spoke, her voice a small huff as she angrily bit into her sandwich.

"Say what?" Frost's jaw dropped, and Jane merely raised an eyebrow, wondering at what point in the plan they had gained enough of Maura's confidence to string her along.

"Oh, don't misinterpret my offer for approval," Maura informed the two, making sure to wear a stern expression on her face as she addressed the pair. "I merely wish to make sure you two _idiots_ don't get yourself killed."

XXX

"Okay, ready?" Jane asked, a quiver of excitement shooting up her spine. She knew the plan was risky, but it was her first real taste of unsupervised detective work, and she was eager to obtain the evidence she was certain would be relevant to Korsak's case.

Maura looked down at her phone. "Frost says, 'The coast is clear. I was able to disable the cameras, but I can't access them on my laptop, so get in there fast if you still wanna go through with this.'" Maura gulped, looking a bit nervous. "Jane, are you sure we should be doing this?"

Jane sighed, snapping her gloves into place. "I know it's risky, but I mean, what's the worst that can happen? If we can't find the cup, we leave. If we get caught, we lie...I mean _I_," Jane corrected, catching sight of Maura's furrowed brow. "It's easy enough to say I left my binder in there earlier, or something. Plus, I told Frost to give us about twenty minutes or so...he'll come bail us out if something goes wrong."

Maura nodded, tugging her own gloves onto her hands. She couldn't deny the slight thrill she received from the act of delinquency they were about to commit, though she hardly wished to admit this to Jane. Someone needed to be reasonable in this situation, and Maura was determined to keep her head on her shoulders lest their behavior lead to an unwanted predicament.

"You got your phone?" Jane clarified, wanting to make sure their one safety net was ready at hand.

Maura patted her chest with a small chuckle, earning a curious head tilt from Jane. "I don't have any pockets today," she motioned to her skirt and blouse, "So I've decided to store it here. I'll feel it vibrate better here, regardless."

Jane did her best not to imagine Maura's phone tucked snuggly in her bosom, leading down the hall toward Mr. Chesholt's door.

Though the school day had ended less than ten minutes previously, the hallways had emptied quite quickly. They had only spotted one other teacher on their hike up to the third floor science department, and it did not appear that any of the other staff members would be vigilant enough to catch them. Mr. Chesholt's room was dark, but the door was left unlocked, so the two girls quickly slipped inside.

"Where do you think it might be?" Maura whispered softly, her eyes darting around the dimly lit classroom.

"Probably by his desk. Or maybe by the sink," Jane whispered back, tiptoeing over to the desk in the front of the room.

Though Maura hardly wished to leave Jane's side, the took the sink. The sink was empty, and there was no sign of the cup on the countertop amongst the lab equipment. She joined Jane a few moments later. "Any luck?"

Jane shook her head. "It's gotta be here though," she persisted. "We could always check the supply room if we don't see it here," she suggested, motioning toward the door behind the desk that housed all the lab equipment and materials, which was adjoined the chemistry classroom on the other side.

Maura nodded, taking a look at the desk herself. It was slightly cluttered, just enough so that they had to quietly maneuver the items, checking to make sure the small teacup was not hidden behind them. Jane creaked open the drawers, careful not to misplace anything as she filed through them.

Maura's eyes assessed the items on his desk, finding herself searching for other clues. There were no photos, unlike many of the other teachers' desks, who were all eager to display a picture or two capturing their loved ones. He kept a few anatomical models instead, and nestled amongst them was a plaque with his name. Maura squinted at it, a bit curiously as the letters danced in her mind. "Jane, what is Mr. Chesholt's first name again?"

Jane glanced up from the drawer, looking at Maura curiously. "Ray, I think it was."

Maura nodded, remembering Angela mentioning it a few weeks prior after their open house. "And is it short for Raymond? Rayford?" she questioned, her heart rate involuntarily speeding up.

"I don't know," Jane replied, her tone becoming a bit annoyed. "Why does it matter anyway?"

A wave of dread washed over Maura as the gravity of the situation fully hit her. "Because...if you rearrange the letters in Ray Chesholt...you get Charles Hoyt."

XXX

At once, Jane stopped shuffling through the desk, as if what they were tampering with had hit her for the first time. Before either of them had a moment to fully register Maura's assessment, the door the the supply room creaked open, causing the two girls to jump in surprise.

"I'm so very glad you managed to solve my riddle," Mr. Chesholt spoke as he emerged from the doorway, his voice lined with maniacal laughter. "Though I am a bit surprised you didn't make the connection sooner - you, Jane, with your dedication and fervor for this case, and you, Maura, with that brilliant mind of yours. Regardless, I'm glad my little clue brought us all to the same page."

Jane's eyes darted down to his hand, where he let the teacup dangle delicately from his pinky. He took a step closer, positioning himself between the two girls, making Jane even more uneasy as she realized she had lost access to Maura. She noticed Maura's eyes dance down to her chest, where her phone remained safely hidden, though she didn't dare make any sudden movements.

"Don't seem so shocked, my dears. Your plan was very well crafted - that is, if I had not been expecting it." He let out another small laugh. "Clever of you, to send an email from the principal's account. I assume that was your doing, Miss Isles, hm?" He raised an eyebrow as if to praise Maura for her handiwork.

Jane let out a sigh of relief, realizing that in all this, at least Frost would be left unharmed. Her reassurance was quickly doused, however, as he took a step closer to her. "Wh-what do you want from us?" she managed to stammer, her mind reeling as she realized for the first time just how stupid she had been to unknowingly fall for his bait, to tamper when she should have let it be. How she had walked straight into his trap.

He stepped closer, now only inches away from her. She heard Maura let out a small whimper. From his back pocket, he pulled out an item, and as Jane's eyes darted toward it, she recognized it as a taser.

"My dear, I simply desire you," he whispered, his breath hot against her skin as he brought the base of the taser to her neck, stunning her into blackness.

* * *

_A/N: I feel like Maura took on a bit of a Hermione Granger role in this chapter, lol. Now of course I'm getting AU ideas with these three filling the three main roles in Harry Potter...lol_

_Again, I apologize for the wait. If you have a moment, let me know if you're still sticking with me. Your support means so much :]_


	21. Chapter XXI

_A/N: This chapter was quite hard to write...I planned to post it much sooner, but I had some difficulty getting it just right, so I appreciate you bearing with me. Also I apologize its on the shorter side...but it needed to end where it does._

* * *

Jane felt hazy as she surfaced to consciousness, registering that her was cheek plastered up against a grainy wooden floor. She fought the urge to blink, hearing the light sound of pacing not far off. She kept her breathing steady, knowing that any sudden movements could be her last.

A chilly gust of air seeped in through an opening Jane could not see. Behind her, her arms were taped together tightly, though she didn't dare move, knowing that her legs were bound as well. She wouldn't stand a chance at defending herself in this state. Even her mouth had been covered with a large stretch of duct tape that clung uncomfortably to her skin.

She dared to slit an eye open, trying to catch of glimpse of her surroundings. The hazy, bare room was hardly recognizable, though one thing was certain.

She was no longer at the school.

Everything had gone terribly awry so quickly that it took Jane a moment to process the entire situation. Mr. Chesholt, rather, Charles Hoyt, had somehow taken her from the school – the back exit, the service staircase, the fire escape, perhaps - and with the cameras disabled, they had provided him with the upper hand. _Stupid, _she berated herself. _So stupid. _The situation was grim, and avoidable as well, she bitterly reminded herself. She should have listened to Maura's reasoning.

Maura.

All at once, her eyes shot open, the ramifications of her rash actions hitting her with a forceful impact. With difficultly, she rolled onto her other side, her eyes wildly scanning the dim room as she fought to account for Maura's location, knowing that Mr. Chesholt wouldn't have dared to leave her at the school with what she knew. She prayed he hadn't finished her off, a useless pawn in whatever grand scheme he had planned for Jane.

Her breath was shallow as she tried to maneuver her disabled body, her heart skipping a full beat once her eyes fell on Maura's still frame. She was here. She was here, and though she was far okay, she was still here. Jane watched her chest rise and fall softly, a breath of relief washing over her.

In the mere seconds it had taken her to assess her best friend's current state, Mr. Chesholt had registered her condition as well. She heard his steps approach her, his wry grin panning closer to her as he crouched down, taking her chin firmly in his grasp.

"Awake, I see," he chuckled softly. "I'm pleased."

Jane whimpered, though it was inaudible beneath the gag. She jerked her head, trying to wiggle out of his grasp. There was no point in lying limp now – if she were going to die, she at least wanted to put up a fight.

"Feisty," he laughed again, only tightening his grasp. With his other hand, he reached to rip the tape away from her mouth. "I like to play just a bit fair." He grinned again.

Jane gasped for air, sucking in a proper breath. She glared harshly at him. "Fair? You really want to talk about playing fair right now?" she hissed at him, her voice sharp and acidic, not sure where her courage was coming from. She had never faced death before – and she had never expected to face it this brutally – but she wasn't as scared as she expected to be, willing all his attention to remain on her.

Because if he were preoccupied with her, he couldn't touch Maura. And Jane was going to protect her for as long as she could manage.

"My dear, your bravery is charming. It's why I've waited for just the right time for this – a proper conclusion to my little game." He traced her jawline with his elongated fingers, keeping his eyes locked with Jane's. She wondered how long he had planned this, and with a sickening wave of dread, she imagined him watching them from some hidden perch in the woods as they stumbled upon the body, watching their interactions with the police force. And of course the two clever girls who put their noses where they didn't belong had become his target. "I like the chase, you see, and I wouldn't want to end this before we have a little more fun."

Jerking her neck, she forcefully pushed the saliva from her throat, her aim perfect as she spit into his eye. He let out a yelp of surprise, stumbling backward, but he was hardly deterred. "I'm so glad to see you like to play games as well, my dear."

The moment was interrupted as a tiny, hardly audible whimper escaped Maura's lips from only a few feet away. Jane's head immediately perked up, her eyes frantically searching for Maura's.

Mr. Chesholt grinned a bit wily, his eyes darting between each girl, as if silently assessing the intensity of their bond, eager to use it to his advantage. But his thought process was interrupted by a loud vibrating sound, and he perked his ears, his eyes appearing uncertain for the first time.

He rose, following the source of the noise, only to be cut off my Jane's voice. "No! Don't! Don't you _dare _touch her," she snarled, knowing very well what was causing the noise, her anger rising significantly as she thought about where his hands would wander in search for Maura's phone.

"Maura, my dear," he crouched down beside her now, the vibrating continuing. He followed the sound and the faint glow to her chest, his finger dipping into the neckline of her low-cut blouse.

"No!" Jane continued to shriek. "Don't touch her! Please don't touch her!"

Maura own whimpers were muffled by the tape still covering her mouth and by the incessant drone of Jane's screams. Mr. Chesholt, however, proceeded to reach his hand beneath her shirt, his hand lingering for a painfully long moment, before producing Maura's buzzing phone.

"So very clever of you," he spoke softly, before hurling the phone at the ground. Jane could hear the glass cover crack, and the rest of the phone was soon demolished as he brought his food heavily down against the electrical device, smashing it until it was no longer recognizable.

He kicked the shattered pile away, focusing his attention back to Maura. "You're quite protective of her, aren't you Jane?"

"You leave her alone, you bastard!" Jane screeched at him, her voice already becoming sore.

"I'm so very glad I didn't kill her before hand," he laughed, his words blunt. "This is going to make our game all the more interesting."

"You get away from her!" Jane relentlessly sobbed, fighting against her binds, trying to propel her body closer to Maura. "You fucking bastard! Just let her be!"

"Now, Jane, you know that would ruin all my fun." Mr. Chesholt reached into his pocket, and as he pulled his hand out, a shard of light bounced off the metal object he held in his hand.

A scalpel.

"Leave her alone! Kill me instead. I'm begging you….just leave her alone. I'll do anything." Jane cried out, so frantic that she almost become sick, her stomach heaving as she fought with every ounce of strength she had in her.

Mr. Chesholt crouched down, gliding the scalpel lightly against Maura's neck, creating a superficial wound. Maura's scream vibrated against the tape plastered against her mouth.

"Fuck! Just leave her, please! Please leave her. Fucking kill me instead. I don't care, just kill me – just let her be!" Jane's words continued on at a steady rate, her body now drenched in sweat.

"What do you say, Ms. Isles? Shall I grant her request now?" Maura's eyes widened in horror as he spoke the words, shaking her head frantically as her words became lost against her gag.

Mr. Chesholt paid her no heed, instead crossing the distance to Jane's writhing form, though she had hardly loosened her binds.

"You sick bastard," she spat at him.

"I've never had one of my victims beg me to take their life before," he smirked down at Jane, bringing the scalpel still dripping in Maura's blood to her neck this time. She clenched her teeth, letting out a hiss as he dragged it lightly against her skin. "You're quite the little martyr. Unfortunately, it will all be in vain," he murmured, not the least bit apologetic.

He jerked her wrists harshly, bringing the bloody scalpel down to the tape, agiley loosening the bind. Before Jane had a moment to react to her split second of freedom, he brought his knee harshly to her gut, swiftly knocking the wind out of her. She grunted, struggling to catch her breath, but the pain in her ribs quickly subsided as a much sharper pain took dominance.

She let out a howl, registering a searing pain in her hand, and it took her muddled mind a moment to realize he had jammed the scalpel clear through her hand, right into the wooden floor. "I always, win, Jane. Remember that," he spat at her, producing another scalpel from his pocket. Swiftly, he pinned her other hand to the ground, stabbing it with a matching wound.

The screech she let out hardly sounded human. "Kill me!" she managed to gasp out, her body convulsing in agony. "Just kill me!"

"Not quite yet, my dear. You see, I'd quite like it if you watched me kill Maura first."


	22. Chapter XXII

_A/N: Yes, I'm alive. And I could spit out a thousand excuses ranging from lack of free time to writers block, but really, there's not excuse for me taking this long to update a story. So I apologize, and to all you dedicated readers out there, thanks a ton for being so, so supportive, and if you're still out there reading, I appreciate it more than I can say. _

_Also, this chapter is short, but I figured I needed to post before I let my millions of excuses get in the way again. _

* * *

Maura's head spun wildly as she fought against her binds, the duct tape finally flapping away from her lips, wet enough for the coat of saliva produced from her screams.

"Don't," she choked out, watching as Mr. Chesholt hovered over Jane, her voice inaudible as he continued to speak to her.

He stepped away from Jane's body, producing another scalpel from his pocket, the same ones they had used for their labs in Anatomy class, she couldn't help but to notice. It made her feel sick, her stomach lurching as he crouched down beside her.

"Maura, dear, I promise this will only hurt for a—"

He couldn't finish his thought before a noise erupted from the far side of the room. Maura jerked her head to the left, blindly searching for the source of the noise.

"Put your hands up!"

Maura twisted her head further, noticing the line of policemen that burst through the door, her heart collapsing in a sigh of relief. All at once, Mr. Chesholt's form was throttled away from her, the clamor of footsteps clicking beside her ears as she fought to register the sudden influx of events.

"Maura?" A familiar voice pulled her into the moment, and a broken smile crossed her face as she noticed Korsak crouched down about a foot away from her. He held a pocketknife in his grasp, reaching to sever the duct tap wound around her wrists and ankles. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, attempting to sit up, a painful cry erupting from the other side of the room. "Jane," she whispered, immediately scrambling to her feet.

"Maura!" Korsak grabbed her hand slightly tighter, holding her in place. "You need to sit down. We'll take care of Jane."

"No, please…" Maura begged, twisting her arm in his hand. "I need to…I need to make sure she's okay." Her eyes darted around the room, the chaos pulsing around her, her heart slamming wildly in her chest.

"Korsak!" An unidentified voice called from behind her. "We need back up! Cavanaugh, go take care of the girl!" He nodded toward Maura.

But as soon as Korsak's hand dropped from her wrist, Maura bolted, blindly following Jane's cries.

"Miss Isles!" Officer Cavanaugh called after her, but his voice sounded eons away as Maura collapsed beside Jane's convulsing form, the scalpels still stuck brutally through her hands, as they waited for further medical assistance. The officer beside Jane protested briefly, but Maura ignored his words, curling herself into Jane's quivering side, not even sure that Jane registered her presence in her agony. A tiny whimper escaped Maura's lips as she closed her eyes, letting a hitching sigh escape her lips. The shouting in the background faded as the rapid beat of Jane's heart took precedence.

"I love you," Maura whispered, curling closer to Jane, nothing else mattering anymore, her voice coming out in an incessant chant, the simple phrase keeping her grounded. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

XXX

"…And Maura won't leave her side." Maura heard the faint whisper rise about the constant beeping of the monitor. She kept her eyes pressed shut, letting her breath continue to expel from her mouth at an even pace. She kept her hand curled gently around Jane's wrist, careful to steer clear of the bandages that decorated her injured hands.

Her gentle pulse fluttering beneath Maura's grasp gave her comfort, soothing the frightened knot that had settled in her stomach, only growing worse the longer Jane strayed from consciousness. She heard the gentle padding of footsteps approach her, certain that it was Angela coming back in to check on Jane for the umpteenth time, but she was startled when another voice spoke her name.

"Maura," the voice was light and slightly strained, and it took Maura a moment to coax her eyes open.

"Mother," she replied, curling closer to Jane, finding so much more comfort in her friend than the estranged woman who had raised her.

Her mother reached to touch Maura's shoulder lightly. "Are you…" he voice broke, and it took her a moment to compose herself. "Are you ready to go home?"

Maura's face twisted in confusion, the words processing in her mind as though her mother had spoken a foreign language. "I need to stay with Jane," the only logical words she could comprehend left her mouth.

Her mother pursed her lips. "She needs her rest, Maura, and so do you…and I want you home right now. After all that has happened today…after all that has a happened as a result of you hanging out with this girl—"

"This isn't Jane's fault, Mother!" Jane stirred slightly in her morphine-induced slumber, and Maura grasped her wrist tighter.

Her mother's lips grew thinner. "This isn't the time to argue, Maura – I want you home. Can you blame, after all that has happened today? I vowed to protect you – but I've always been distant, allowing us both to be content with you looking out for yourself, and look at where that has led." She leaned over to touch the bandaged that decorated Maura's neck lightly. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and Maura could never remember seeing her mother express such emotion. "Please, Maura. Please come home."

It took Maura great restraint to suppress her biting protest, her fiery declaration of independence, but as her mother's hand reached down to clasp her own, she knew better that to argue. Letting the warmth of Jane's wrist slip from hers, she left the bed, letting her hand remain nestled in her mother's as she looked back with regret.


	23. Chapter XXIII

_A/N: A list of excuses for yet another painfully slow update:_

_1. Finals week/my trip to California_

_2. The difficulty of writing this chapter and including everything I needed to in it_

_3. Tumblr stealing my soul_

_Longer than the last, so I hope you find it satisfying. As always, thank you for your patience :)_

* * *

Maura watched the thin beams of sunlight thread across the floral print of her comforter, the hazy warmth only feeding her lethargy. She rested a hand against her stomach, feeling the heaviness of each breath settle uncomfortably inside her. She closed her eyes, barely flinching as the door to her room jarred open.

"Honestly, Maura, you can't spend another day in bed."

She slit an eye open, watching her mother snap her gold-plated watch onto her wrist. Her other hand ran up to her hair, taming the curls into place. Maura closed her eyes once again.

"Aren't you supposed to be at your studio?" Maura spoke listlessly, turning onto her side as she breathed in the fresh scent of her bed linens.

"Jeremy is ill this morning, so I wanted to make sure you didn't need anything before I left for the day," her mother explained, stepping over to the bed and coaxing the comforter away from Maura's body, an uncomfortably chilliness assaulting her. Maura scowled, tugging her knees to her chest.

"I'm going back to sleep." Maura's voice was flat, spoken without a hint of hesitation.

She could feel her mother purse her lips, though she refused to open her eyes. Her mother clicked her tongue, followed a slow influx of air pushed through her thin lips, as if she were considering how to respond to a daughter who had never shown any obstinacy until now. She heard her sigh heavily, before her footsteps padded quietly through the carpeted room.

Maura kept her eyes clamped shut as her mother disappeared into her closet, her curiosity only piquing slightly when it took her a moment to return. She felt a small thud at the foot of her bed before slowly turning over to see the source of the disturbance.

Her Louis Vuitton luggage.

She ran a hand through her tangled hair, rising to a sitting position as she gave her mother a quizzical look.

"At least make good use of your time here at home and begin packing," her mother spoke an answer to Maura's unspoken question.

"Packing for what?" Maura spoke, a wave of dread escalating quickly through her body.

"Why, Paris of course," her mother spoke, a bit indignant. "You honestly haven't forgotten that you leave in three days, have you?"

"Mother!" Maura exclaimed, rising from her bed in a panic as she began to pace incessantly. "I though that –" she cut herself short, looking up to her mother with a pleading glance. "After all that's happened, you still want me to go?"

Her mother sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, as Maura continued to pace frantically. "Maura, please, take a deep breath and relax for just a moment. I know you think I'm being absurd, but considering recent events, isn't it reasonable for me to want you as far from here as possible? I certainly don't want to send you back to _that_ school. _Collège Stanislas de Paris_ is highly reputable and has maximum security – there's honestly no other place I want you right now. Surely you don't have second thoughts about going?" her mother ended with a small breath, cocking her head innocently.

A protest danced at the edge of Maura's lips, but she quickly reined it in. She could hardly use her friendship with Jane as an argument, especially as her mother had forbidden her to have any contact with Jane over the past week, and Maura had known better than to argue, almost frightened of the emotional, protective side that had emerged for her typically stoic mother. It had been a week of recovery, and she reasoned that by the time Jane was up for any visitors, her mother's hostility would have waned.

The urgency of the situation was now apparent, and Maura brought her hand back up to her messy hair, trying to keep herself composed. "I'll start packing, Mother." It was a simple statement, avoidant, but not untruthful, but it seemed to ease the apprehension in the room. Maura opened up her top bureau drawer, grabbing a handful of lacy underwear to pack into the back of her suitcase. Her mother seemed skeptical, watching Maura carefully load her suitcase for a good ten minutes before nodding her approval and slipping out the door.

Maura waited with bated breath, straining to hear the click of the back door, follow by the faint whine of the garage door. She collapsed on her bed, the tears she had been holding in finally escaping. She cried for a good ten minutes before pulling her blotching face away from her hands, taking in a gulp of air before rising from her bed. She dressed in an uncharacteristic pair of jeans followed by a fitted tee, and she tamed her tangles back into ponytail.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, plain and gaunt, her eyes laden with dark circles. She tucked a flyaway behind her ear, turning her attention away from herself. From the hook behind her door, she took her coat, a hat, and her favorite knitted scarf, shivering even though she had not yet been assaulted by the cold.

"Bass," she spoke to the tortoise resting in his cage a few feet away. "I'm going to see her. I know telling you is futile, but I wanted to be accountable to someone." She finished buttoning her coat, the tortoise unresponsive.

The walk was chilly, but that was the least of Maura's worries as she made the trek into the city. Her fear was raw and her trust in humanity sorely damaged; she knew if she had any wits about herself, she would have had the sense to stay back home, but the short span of three days wasn't long enough to wait to see if she could reason with her mother, and if she had learned anything from Jane, it was how to take matters into her own hands. She just hoped she was equipped to handle it this time.

Her nose and ears were numb by the time she reached the Rizzoli residence, and she reached out with a gloved hand to press the bell, letting its shrill ring echo through the bleak November morning.

The door opened a moment later, and an apron-clad Angela greeted her. "Maura! Please come in!" she offered immediately, ushering Maura into the warm interior, the heavy scent of various baked goods wafting into the entrance. "I was hoping we'd see you soon," she smiled warmly, leading Maura to the kitchen.

"Maura!" Tommy exclaimed, smiling through his bite of chocolate chip cookie as he waved from the table. "See, I told you she'd come."

Maura was surprised to see Frost at the table with the two Rizzoli boys, and as Angela took Maura's coat and pulled out a chair for her, she glanced at him curiously, immediately inquiring him. "Why aren't you at school today?" she addressed Frost, before quickly adding to the two younger boys. "In a matter of fact, why aren't any of you at school?"

"Haven't you heard?" Frost's eyes grew wide as he spoke to Maura.

Maura returned his expression with one that matched his own. "No…was I supposed to have?"

"I just figured you'd know – not that anyone would expect you to be back at school anyway, but they have it closed down for the investigation," Frost informed her.

"And Ma just doesn't want me and Frankie at school right now because of what happened to Janie, which is why we get to stay home, too," Tommy piped in before reaching for another chocolate chip cookie. Jo Friday scampered beneath the base of the table, anxiously awaiting any crumbs.

"You mean with all the reporters around, you didn't hear anything?" Frankie spoke for the first time, looking a bit incredulous.

"Reporters?" Maura repeated dumbly.

"Yeah, and guys down from the police station," Tommy added, wiping the crumbs from his upper lip. "Didn't they come to your house too to ask a bunch of questions? That's why Ma's been baking so much – well she always does it when she's upset 'bout something, but she had to feed everyone that's been coming in to talk to all of us and Janie."

"I suppose they did come, but Mother and Father must have sent them away." It would have been no small fee to keep the nosy press out of the Isles home, but it was the only logical explanation as to why her past week had been so quiet while the Rizzolis appeared to have been a tumultuous ride. She now understood why her mother hadn't protested about her absence from school – even if the school had been open, her mother would have wanted to shield her from the relentless interrogations. She realized what a fog she had been living in the for duration of the past week, and she found herself growing increasingly curious about the events she had instinctively blocked from her mind.

"Tell us again how you saved everyone, Frost," Tommy reached for another cookie, only to have his mother swat his hand away and whisk the tray back over the countertop.

"I've told you a thousand times, Tommy," Frost sighed. "All I did was call the station when your sister and Maura took a while coming out of Mr. Chesholt's room. And they were able to track the GPS location on Maura's phone before it was destroyed. I didn't even really do anything."

"But if they couldn't track the phone, then they would'n't have found Maura and Janie," Tommy countered. "That's what Ma says. So you're a hero."

Frost smiled in spite of himself, and Maura offered him an encouraging smile of her own. "Is Jane upstairs then?"

"Yeah, but good luck talking to her. No one's been able to get much outta her," Frost explained. "She's been a zombie – can't even get her to eat much. I've been coming over everyday, but there doesn't seem to be much of a change. But if anyone can cheer her up, I bet it'll be you."

Maura nodded, now anxious to see her friend. "Mrs. Rizzoli, is it all right if I go upstairs to see Jane?"

"Of course, honey," Angela smiled warmly at her. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you – oh, and I don't want to be an inconvenience, but maybe she'll listen to you. Could you bring her some cannoli and see if she'll eat any? They're her favorite." She nudged a plate filled with the Italian dessert in Maura's direction.

Maura smiled, gladly accepting the plate as she ascended the stairs. She knocked lightly on Jane's door before prying it open, her heart pounding erratically as she stepped into the room, unsure what exactly she would find there, and frightened at the prospect of explaining her predicament.

"Jane?" she spoke softly, approaching the pile of blankets curled up in the corner of the bed. She placed the plate on the nightstand before sitting down softly on the edge of the bed.

It took Jane a minute to stir, and as she rose from her tangled mess of bed linens, her eyes widened at the sight of her best friend. "Maura?"

"Oh, Jane." Maura's eyes brimmed with tears. She glanced down at Jane's hands, still heavily bandaged. She felt her tears pool over.

"Maura, you came," Jane whispered hoarsely, scooting closer to her on the bed. "I'm sorry I'm such a mess." She rubbed her frizzy hair with the back of her bandaged hand.

"I'm hardly any more put together myself," Maura tried to laugh, but it caught in her throat. "Besides, who can expect us to be at time like this?"

"I'm so sorry, Maur," the apology flooded from Jane's lips. "About all this – about what happened to you. It's all my fucking fault."

"Don't say that," Maura pleaded, the girls having inched close enough together now that Maura could easily reach Jane's arm. She placed her hand against her warm skin. "Perhaps we were foolish, but you couldn't have known it would end like this. If anything, I should thank you for being so brave for me."

"I thought you'd be mad," Jane spoke softly. "Even though Ma said it was your mother who made you leave the hospital, I thought you weren't coming to see me 'cause you were angry at me. I thought I lost you."

Maura let her head fall against Jane's shoulder, her nose brushing up against her neck. She closed her eyes, memorizing the feeling of closeness. "I'm here now," Maura finally spoke, her words full of reassurance and apology.

They were silent for a moment, Maura too content to damage the moment. She listened to Jane breathe, the simple action soothing her more than anything had all week.

"I haven't been able to sleep much," Jane finally spoke into the silence. "Even with the morphine, I've felt restless. But with you here now…I feel like I could just pass out for a week. That's dumb, isn't it?" She forced a tiny laugh.

"I don't think so at all," Maura spoke in reply, her fingers dancing near the edge of Jane's bandaged. She wished she could hold her hand. "We've both come to rely on each other quite a bit this year; it's only natural we should feel secure with each other."

Jane smiled. "So if I just randomly pass out, don't take it personally, kay?"

"You should lie down," Maura suggested, coaxing herself away from her friend as she patted one of the pillows, and Jane gladly accepted the offer. "I don't mind if you fall asleep – for all the time I've spent in bed this week, I haven't had much quality sleep, either."

She positioned herself on the pillow beside Jane, draping her arm over her side. Jane's breathing slowed almost immediately, and it wasn't long before Maura felt her eyes flutter shut as well.

XXX

"Maura," the voice softly drew her from her slumber. "Maura, sweetheart."

She lifted her head from the pillow, her eyes bleary and unfocused. She saw the shimmering form of Angela hovering above her, an apologetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry to have to wake you, but your mother's here."

Maura pulled away from Jane, suddenly feeling a bit panicked. She rubbed her sleep heavy eyes and swallowed heavily to clear her throat. "Will you tell her I'll be down in just a moment?"

"Of course," Angela spoke in return, leaving quietly.

Maura watched Jane sleep for a moment longer before reaching for her arm, gently shaking her awake.

Jane flinched for a moment before settling against Maura's touch. "Sorry," she spoke in a bleary voice. "I really needed that." A smile traversed her face, and Maura felt her heart sink.

"I'm leaving, Jane," she spoke morosely.

"All right, but you can come back again, tomorrow, right? We can actually talk then, promise." She sat up, letting herself fully resurface to consciousness.

"No, Jane, I'm leaving. My flight to France is in three days," she licked her lips, watching Jane's eyes widen in the same panic hers had.

"You're still going?" Her voice was laden with betrayal.

"Jane, it's not up to me," Maura spoke as rationally as she could. "My mother didn't even want me to see you today – I had to sneak off here on my own. She wants me in France – she wants me as far from here as possible, in fact," she licked her lips, her argument sounding weak now she spoke it.

Jane breathed heavily, and Maura could see her holding back an explosion. "But it shouldn't be up to her, Maur. Do you even want to go anymore?"

Maura didn't speak for a minute, considering her words carefully. "I don't know – I don't know if what happened is making me fearful to go." She looked at Jane, the hurt in her friend's eyes making it difficult to speak. She sighed. "It's all I've wanted for so long – I've been preparing for so long…it's just…I don't know anymore, Jane. I don't know what I want anymore."

Jane chewed on her lip before she responded. "If it really is your dream, Maura, then you should go. Don't let something like this set you back – we're both gonna pull through this, and things will go back to normal," she spoke as reassurance to the two of them. "I mean I hate to see you go, but if you wanna go to France, I'm still gonna be here waiting for when you come back." She reached to cover Maura's hand lightly with her bandaged one.

Maura felt her throat grow tight. She found Jane's eyes, desperately trying to read her own emotions and fit them into the mold she had created for her life.

"Maura!" Constance's voice interrupted her thoughts as it floated up the stairs. "I'm waiting."

Maura glanced nervously toward the door, her heart thudding violently against her chest. "Jane, I've got to go," she spoke regretfully, rising from the bed.

"No, please wait just a minute," Jane pleaded, stumbling from the bed as she grabbed Maura's arm, wincing as her injured hand clamped against Maura's wrist.

"Maura!" Constance's voice was only an afterthought as Jane's eyes found Maura's.

"Maur, it's just that…all this time…I think what I'm trying to—" she heard Constance's heels click against the steps, and all at once, the courage Jane had lacked for so long propelled her toward Maura as she brushed her lips quickly against hers.

Though only a few seconds, so brief and lacking the intimacy Jane had always imagined, the electrical shock that rippled down her spine was paralyzing. She pulled away, watching Maura's mouth hang open, trying desperately to read her reaction.

"Maura, please." The door to the bedroom flew open as Constance crossed the threshold. "We need to leave _now._"

She reached for Maura's arm, giving her a substantial jerk in the direction of the door. Maura glanced over her shoulder, a small noise escaping from her lips, but her thoughts remained unvoiced as Constance steered her out the door.


	24. Chapter XXIV

The Rizzoli home smelled permanently of baked goods, and it did not help that Angela continued to mass-produce her sweets, the scents of each desert mingling and layering on top of one another. Tommy was now the only beneficiary of Angela's rapid cooking, as the cops and reporters had dwindled and faded as days morphed slowly into weeks. He munched contently on a snickerdoodle, ignoring the uncomfortable pressure building against the button of his jeans.

"Tommy! I told you no more cookies today!" Angela spoke sternly as she placed a pie on the ledge above the sink to cool. She pivoted on her heel, striding toward the table.

Tommy immediately made a protective barrier over the plate with his arms, shielding it from Angela's grasp. "But, Ma, who's gonna eat all this then? There's no more guys coming in to ask Janie any questions – and if you keep baking, someone's gotta eat it," he spoke rationally.

Angela sighed, running a hand through her messy ponytail, struggling to justify her actions. "It keeps my mind busy," she spoke softly, looking ruefully at her pie.

"Which is why you need a new hobby," Frankie spoke, appearing in the kitchen as if on cue, his basketball resting lightly between his forearm and hip. "And before you ask – Jane's fine. Just sleeping."

Angela pursed her lips before letting out another breath. "At least she's sleeping."

"When's she gonna go back to school? Or even get out of bed?" Tommy had still not yet learned to be tactful of the matter. Frankie looked uncomfortably at his mother, rolling his basketball against his hip.

"Tommy, why don't you go outside and play basketball with your brother?" Angela finally spoke, nodding toward the front door.

"But, Ma, it's cold out," Tommy whined, reaching for another cookie. Frankie swatted his hand away from the plate, causing Tommy to lunge quite suddenly for his stolen sweets, the sudden movement popping off the button of his jeans. The metal button clattered to the floor, and Tommy watched sheepishly as it settled by the side of island countertop.

"For heavens sake, Thomas." Angela sighed, retrieving the button off the floor. "Go upstairs and change – and you're playing basketball with your brother. Heaven knows you need it."

Tommy slunk off up the stairs, for once without an argument. Angela sighed heavily, fidgeting absentmindedly with the button.

"Ma?" Frankie stepped closer to her, placing a hand against her forearm. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart," Angela managed a smile, fighting to relax her creased brow. "You go out and play and don't worry. I'll send your brother once he's properly dressed." Frankie nodded, giving his basketball a small toss as he exited though the front door.

It was a beautifully clear day, despite the chilliness, and Frankie had only just begun to warm up when a familiar car pulled up into the driveway.

"Oh hey, Detective," Frankie greeted as Korsak stepped out of the car bouncing his ball once more before swiftly catching it. "How are you?"

"Pretty good – and you, kid?" Korsak responded, rubbing his hands together as Frankie led him up the front walk.

Frankie shrugged. "Been doing okay – my mom's in the kitchen," he added, propping the front door open for him, though he didn't follow, hardly wishing to intrude on whatever he needed to discuss with his mother – quite the opposite of how his brother and sister always seemed to handle things.

"Angela?" Korsak spoke softly, entering Angela's make-shift bakery.

"Vince? I didn't even hear you come in," she spoke, blushing furiously as she reached to tuck a flyaway hair behind her ear.

"Frankie was out shooting hoops so he saw me in," Korsak explained, hesitating before taking a cookie from Tommy's forgotten plate. "You doing okay?" he asked as he savored the treat.

"As well as you can expect," Angela answered, letting out a heavy sigh. She leaned up against the countertop, trying not to fret over her scraggly appearance. "I just worry about Jane though – she hardly leaves her bed. Of course I don't expect her to be ready to be back in school just yet, and I've even debated finding her a new school to attend because I honestly don't know if anything will make her feel safe going back there…I apologize, going on like this. I just don't have anyone to confide in anymore."

"Hey, hey, you don't need to apologize." He stepped forward, reaching to clasp his hands over Angela's, his simple touch eliciting a small smile from her. "I'm concerned about her, too. She's a good kid, and you know I feel partially responsible about what happened to her," he spoke regrettably.

"You know I don't blame you," Angela reminded him. "You could have never known indulging her would lead to her meddling where she shouldn't have been. If anything, I should thank you for giving that girl all the support and enthusiasm her father never did."

Korsak pulled Angela closer to him. "She's going to be okay." Angela had heard the phrase countless times over the past few weeks, but she graciously embraced them nevertheless.

"I keep hoping Maura will write to her," Angela murmured, contently fitting her head into the crook of his neck. "Losing her best friend on top of all this….you know, I've been so tempted to contact her mother and see if there's some way Jane can go about contacting her."

"I hate to say this, but you need to give the Isles family their space too," Korsak reminded her. "Both girls – they just need time. They've been through a hell of a lot, and you never know – maybe some time apart will help them heal better."

Angela exhaled deeply. "I hope so, because I'm fearful Jane is going to need to find a way to live without her."

XXX

The chains of the swing creaked loudly on their hinges as Jane used the heel of her foot to idle sway herself back and forth. She was much too big for the old swing set that still rested in the backyard, despite its rare usage in recent years.

In the palm of her hand, Jane cradled a stress ball. Her hands now only bore two large Band-Aids, and the pain had dulled considerably, though the damage was far from minor. She found herself growing increasingly frustrated as she fought to regain her previous mobility.

She glanced down at the red stress ball, attempting to curl each finger around it. She let out a small huff, her hand refusing to fully cooperate, though her limited range of motion could have been somewhat attributed to the numbing November chill. She had already lost most feeling in her nose and tips of her ears, but she made no attempt to uproot herself from the swing.

The swing next to her creaked lightly, and she turned in dull, lethargic manner, seeing that Frost had joined her.

"Your mom told me I'd find you out here," he spoke, kicking his foot off the ground as he propelled the swing forward.

Jane nodded listlessly, watching him swing for a moment.

"You doing okay?" he asked the typical question, slowing his swing as he caught her eyes.

Jane shrugged.

"Hey, its not fair if you make me do this entire conversation myself," Frost protested, raising an eyebrow.

Jane smiled weakly, edging a sideways glance in Frost's direction. "I think you're doing a pretty good job," she shrugged, kicking her toe into the frozen dirt once again.

Frost chuckled. "Been missing you at lunch lately," he attempted to keep some semblance of a conversation going. "The guys from the team are nice and all, but they're not you."

Jane kept her gaze fixed on the, jamming her toe harder into the ground. "I can't go back there, Frost," she finally muttered.

Frost was silent. Jane still refused to look at him.

"You miss her."

She jerked her head up, her throat feeling uncomfortably tight. She hadn't been expecting him to address that.

"You miss her more than I miss you." It wasn't a question. Jane licked her lips, squeezing her eyes shut, trying once again to feel numb.

"We can talk about it, you know," Frost prompted.

Jane shrugged, her chest tight once again. "What's there to talk about? I think you summed it up pretty well - I miss her."

"Yeah, but there's more to it than just that," Frost continued to push her, swaying back and forth lightly, though Jane had now come to a complete stop.

"What do you mean 'more?'" Jane asked, slightly panicked, the kiss - if it even qualified as a proper kiss - flashing through her mind once again.

"She means a lot you, and I know that this has been hard on you - maybe even harder than the incident itself," Frost prodded. He pressed his heal into the ground, coming to a stop as well. "I just figured you might want to talk - I know how much it can suck to keep stuff bottled up for too long."

"Frost, I kissed hear, okay?" Her confession was hushed and panicked, Frost's words pounding in her head until it had slipped out. She rubbed her thumb against the rusty swing chain, the dull pain mingling with her old wounds. The words had come out with a rush of relief; the guilt and uncertainly of her actions had been gnawing away at her, and it hadn't helped that she hadn't had anyone to either validate or condemn what she had done. "I kissed her, and then she left. Wouldn't even matter if I ever saw her again anyway, because its not like you can take something like that back."

"So that was the first time?" Frost's reply was blunt, unsurprised.

"What?"

"I mean, I guess I just kind of assumed that it had been happening for a while now…with how close you two had been lately. I didn't want to say anything - it's your business, but I couldn't help but to wonder," he answered.

"Was it really that obvious?" Jane sighed, unsure if Frost's assumption should make her relieved or uneasy.

"No...not at first, at least. I didn't think much of it until a couple weeks ago. You know my mom's friend, Robin?" Jane nodded, and Frost continued. "Well, a few weeks ago, I woke up up early 'cause I had to pee, and on my way to the bathroom, I noticed her bedroom door was cracked open a little, and I saw Robin in bed with her. And it wasn't just like she stayed over late and my mom offered her a place to stay for the night - it was obviously a lot more than that. I didn't say anything to her; I didn't say anything to anyone," he added. "It's her business, and when she's ready to tell me, I hope she does. But it just made me think, because you and Maura remind me so much of my mom and Robin - stop looking at me like that, Jane. It's in a good way, I promise," Frost assured her. "Just the way they look at each other, the way Robin will touch my mom's arm, and she'll smile and blush a little. It's not something that's glaringly obvious, but you can tell they care about each other a lot - just like you can with you and Maura, especially if you know how to look for it."

Jane chewed on his words, glad that her heart rate had steadied once again. She turned to him. "Thanks, Frost. I really need to hear that."

"Anytime - I want you to know I'm here for you, no matter what." He smiled.

Jane was silent for a minute, feeling considerably lighter, before she sheepishly turned toward Frost again. "You really think she looks at me, you know, like _that_?"

"Oh, definitely," Frost chuckled. "She's got it bad - but not quite as bad as you." He winked.

Jane scooted her swing a little closer to his, reaching out to give him a small shove, though it hurt her more than it hurt him. She pulled her hand away, flexing her fingers. "Do you think she'll write, Frost?" she asked, a serious tone in her voice now.

"No doubt about it. I'm sure she's just getting settled, and god knows how long mail takes to go overseas. I know the waiting sucks, but it's gonna take a lot more than an ocean to come between you two."

Jane let out a breath, clinging to the empowering sense of hope.

* * *

_A/N: So I figured I'd better give you guys a heads up that the next chapter is going to be the last one, and I really do apologize if that disappoints some of you. In essence, all I ever really wished to explore in this story was a coming of age/falling in love for the first time theme, and as the writer, I feel as though I have accomplished that. I hope I leave you satisfied with the next chapter, and before you ask, I don't plan to do a sequel. While I have enjoyed writing this story very much, and I'm so glad that you guys have enjoyed it too, I feel like I've exhausted this universe and it's time for me to move onto other projects. Thanks again for your continual support and your extraordinary patience :)_


	25. Chapter XXV

Maura sat uselessly in the headmistress' office, her luggage stacked neatly by her feet. She slumped against the arm of the armchair, beginning to pick absentmindedly at the one of the studs embedded in the leather covering.

"Miss Isles, would you like me to add damage to school property on you list of misdemeanors?" Madame Fontaine spoke sternly, glancing up briefly from her paperwork.

"No, ma'am," Maura answered dutifully, sitting up straighter. She scooted back as far as she could manage, letting her legs dangle above the floor.

"Feet on the floor," Madame Fontaine's sharp voice cut across the room again, this time not bothering to make eye contact. "And please, sit still. You aren't in nursery school, despite what your recent behavior might suggest."

Maura bit her lip, nearly in tears, as she obliged to the headmistress' demands. Never had she been so harshly criticized or demeaned in all her life. She watched Madame Fontaine work, her dark hair combed back into a severe bun. She tried to imagine the woman smiling, but the permanent creases that decorated her jaw and her forehead made the task quite difficult. What made a person become so unbearably rigid and unforgiving? Maura imagined that years of schooling in a facility such as this played part of the role, and the realization eased the apprehension gathering in Maura's stomach.

A dull knock on the door interrupted Maura's thoughts, though she didn't dare move as Madame Fontaine rose from her desk, granting the beckoner entrance to her office. Maura let out a breath, fixing her eyes on the pendulum on the grandfather clock looming in the corner.

"Maura."

She still did not look, clenching her teeth as her mother spoke, the thud of her heels dull against the carpet.

"Miss Isles, are you so insolent that you cannot respond to your mother when she addresses you?" Madame Fontaine's words followed, and Maura imagined the lines in her face had become more defined.

"Thank you, Madame Fontaine, but I'll handle my daughter from here," Constance spoke before Maura could answer. "Come, Maura." Maura looked down at her feet, watching as her mother's legs appeared in her line of vision, bending down to gather Maura's luggage.

Maura rose in silence, taking her wheeled suitcase as her mother hoisted the smaller bag over her shoulder. "_Adieu, Madame," _Maura spoke softly before exiting. The headmistress pursed her lips, nodding curtly in Maura's direction.

The pair was silent as they exited the building. The sharp November wind had Maura wishing she had buttoned her coat and perhaps left her gloves and beret in a more accessible pocket of her bag.

"As you can imagine, I'm quite displeased with you, Maura," Constance spoke evenly as the two waited for a cab.

Maura turned her head toward the far horizon, watching the hazy sun dip behind a cloud. An abrupt gust of wind caused her long hair to splay across her face, finding herself grateful for the sudden veil as the a few tears escaped down her cheeks.

"Please, Maura. We are away from that insufferable woman – I expect you to act like an adult and discuss this reasonably with me," Constance spoke through tight lips.

"What is there to discuss?" Maura turned her head suddenly, hoping to attribute her tear-swollen features to the biting wind. "I failed all of my classes, leading to my expulsion." She hated how the words tasted on her lips, her blunt confession making her feel ill, though she reminded herself that the benefits far outweighed the repercussions.

"Yes, Maura, I am quite aware of that, which is why I am here now, missing my exhibition tonight," answered Constance.

"You didn't have to fetch me," Maura replied, a bit indignant, She watched a crumpled, brown leaf scuttle down the street. "I am perfectly capable of riding a plane home myself."

"I'd hardly trust you with such responsibility after the stunt you just pulled," Constance countered, stepping closer to curb as the cab skidded to a stop. She pried open the door, ushering Maura into the back as the driver placed Maura's bags in the trunk. Constance spoke rapidly in impeccable French, directing the driver to the airport.

The two were silent for a minute, as Maura continued to brood. Constance let out a heavy breath, turning toward her daughter. "You know you owe me an explanation for this."

"Why should I owe you anything?" Maura wheeled around, close to tears again, wishing for the control in her life she had now begun to realize she never truly had. "You've hardly taken the time to listen to anything I've felt or thought about this whole ordeal. I don't want to resent you, Mother, but all my life you've given me freedom and you've fostered my independence, only to whisk it away at the time it mattered most to me."

"I don't see how any of this gives you an excuse to purposely fail all of your classes." Constance remained stubbornly focused on the matter at hand, her brow furrowing in frustration at her daughter's elusive response.

"It's not about the classes, Mother," Maura sighed, her eyes pleading with her mother to understand. "It's about what happened before – everything that led up to this moment. I never wanted to be here."

"You've wanted to study in France ever since you were a little girl," Constance contradicted, elevating an eyebrow.

"I know what I wanted," Maura sighed. "And I don't want you to think I've just tossed this all away without any though, but plans change - I've changed. I didn't realize I had what I truly wanted until I had already lost it," Maura spilled the words, absentmindedly reaching to touch the pink scar on her neck.

Her mother watched her for a moment, her lips pursed as she finally addressed what she had been desperately trying to ignore. "You gave up France – you gave up your goals - just for some ridiculous fourteen-year-old girl who nearly got you killed?"

Maura's eyes flared for a moment, her anger and patience nearly bubbling over, but she drew in a long breath, taking a less aggressive route with her words. "I love her."

Constance didn't answer.

"I love her, Mother. I've never had a best friend to say that about before. I've never had a best friend, period – and I'm not about to let that slip away all so easily, not when she is the best thing to ever happen to me," Maura's tone was stubborn, determined.

Constance looked at her lap, speaking softly. "I thought you'd forget about her – rather, that you'd move on with your life, get yourself back on the path you'd been paving for yourself once you got here. I even put in a special request to Madame Fontaine, that any mail between you and Jane be intercepted, so not to distract you during your time here."

"You did _what? _" Maura's jaw clenched in frustration.

"Maura, I believed I was doing it for your own good, just as I believed sending you to France was still best for you, even after recent circumstances. Clearly, we have not been on the the page for quite some time now," Constance muttered, the airport coming into view.

"I suppose I just wasn't prepared for it, your sudden 'motherly ' side showing as you became protective," Maura answered quietly.

"I have always let you care for yourself more or less, I suppose,"Constance mused. "I came very close to losing you, Maura, and I acted in the only way I deemed fit. But you have proven to be very capable of making sound decisions over the years, and I now see I should have treated you more like an adult through all this. It's just shame you were reduced to taking such juvenile methods to get your point across." Her tone was regretful.

"You know that lashing out like this is hardly in my nature - I was just desperate to be heard, before it became too late," Maura sighed, glancing quickly at her mother.

"If she means so much to you - which I can presume she does, seeing as you let your education go by the wayside - then arguing seems futile. I hardly wish to battle with you through your teenage years. There are many fine education establishments close to home that will foster your success."

The cab screeched to a stop, and as the two exited, Maura turned to give her mother an appreciative smile. "Thank you," she spoke softly, before adding. "And she does, Mother. Jane means the world to me."

Constance spoke no more of the matter, leaving the precise nature of her daughter's relationship in an ambiguous, despite what she may or may not have speculated. She pressed her hand lightly up against Maura's back, leading her toward the door. "Come now. We wouldn't want to miss our flight back."

XXX

Jane leaned up against the lockers as she waited for the warning bell, her eyes once again focused on her hands. She flexed her fingers a few times, their use feeling almost natural again. All she had left were scars – an almost unnoticeable sliver on her neck, and identical fleshy, pink masses on her hands, still slightly tender to the touch. She knew they'd fade soon, until they became nothing but an afterthought.

She had been back in school for only a few days now, when Angela had finally grown a backbone and forced Jane out of her endless wallowing. Being back was worse than she had imagined. Not only had she lost Maura, but the entire faculty and student body now treated her with a hesitant reverence, offering her pitiful smiles when Jane glanced their way, quite certain they had been whispering loudly about her only seconds beforehand. She had become a sort of celebrity, but not a loved or adored figured, as people stepped out of her way to give her some distance or glanced down to her wounded hands with silent sympathy. Her assignments had all been returned to her with neat _A's _printed on the upper hand corner, and she was certain that the quality of her work had not been assessed. A cloud of fragility seemed to engulf her, isolating her from the rest of the school's population more than she had even felt before. Even Grant had been surprisingly tactful, as he avoided eye contact and kept his crude chatter to a minimal when she was in earshot now. In a way, she craved even his abuse, in exchange for the solemnity that accompanied her anywhere she went now. She was thankful in the very least to have Frost, who stood faithfully by her side as often as he could, bringing up topics that strayed far from Maura or the gloomy predicament at hand.

Jane's throat tightened unexpectedly, just as the late bell blared loudly. She let her hands drop uselessly to her side, glancing over at the door. She made a face, brushing her hair away from her face with the heel of her hand, now an habitual motion. The lingering sound of the bell echoed for a few moments, and Jane debated if she should even go to class at all. After all, her medical excuse still had her exempt from gym for a few more weeks; she only bothered to come into the locker room to have a moment to herself, away from the dozens of sympathetic, cautious stares. Her eyes darted toward the emergency exit at the far end of the locker room, which let out near the track behind the school. It was certainly a tempting alternative.

"You're late."

She snapped her head up, the voice piercingly familiar, making her heart thump wildly against her chest. There she was, a few rows down, looking stunning as the wisps of morning sunlight penetrating the dust motes, leaving her honey colored curls with a faint gold halo around them. She was a vision, in every sense of the word, wearing a deep maroon peacoat and had a hint of pink in her cheeks. Jane felt a small sense of pride as she realized she had conjured up her best representation of her yet, deciding she'd indulge herself for a moment before summoning her mind back to the grim reality.

"Well, did you miss me?" Maura smiled – that beautifully heart-stopping smile that turned Jane's insides to mush. Jane felt a little queasy, willing herself to close her eyes, knowing she'd be left sorely disappointed the longer she played into this fabrication.

"Jane, are you alright?" Jane snapped her eyes open, flinching considerably as she felt a warm hand clasp her arm. "I know this is unexpected, but I thought perhaps you'd be eager to see me. I know I've missed you terribly, quite more than I can even begin to express in words," she muttered, stepping closer.

Maura glanced at Jane curiously, who had fixed her eyes on Maura's hand. She touched Maura's fingers softly, a faint sigh leaving her lips. "I'm never very good at telling I'm dreaming, you know," Jane spoke, smiling a little as she found Maura's hazel eyes. "I hope I remember this one when I wake up, though."

Maura opened her mouth, her brow knitting as she tilted her head in confusion. "Jane…you can't honestly tell me you're convinced you're asleep right now."

It was becoming clear to Jane that she was not conversing with an apparition, though the situation hardly made any more sense than that. "Well, you can't expect me to believe you'd just show up out of the blue." Her shock was waning, the hurt she'd been suppressing suddenly beginning to seep in. "It's been weeks with no word, no letters – not anything. And after everything that happened, I at least thought—"

"I apologize about the letters," Maura briskly interrupted her. "You see, it wasn't my fault – and you can imagine that I felt slightly wounded as well when you weren't returning mine. I only found out later that my mother specifically asked the headmistress not to send out anything addressed to you. She thought a clean break would do me good and make me more inclined to focus on my studie. But after fifteen days, I began to worry that you were angry at me for leaving how I did, and it was exceedingly frustrating to have no way to know if that were the case." She paused, her eyes searching for Jane's, and as she bit her bottom lip, Jane realized she still believed this might be the case.

Jane moved her hand closer to Maura's, letting her fingertips brush past hers. Her abdomen unclenched slightly, feeling a bit relieved as Maura slowly began to piece her story together. "I wasn't mad – I just felt confused…and a little hurt. Honestly, the whole thing was shitty, and it's been awful waiting to know when – or if – I was even gonna hear from you."

"It was the same on my part," Maura spoke softly, nudging her hand very gently into Jane's. "The longer I spent there, the more uneasy I became. I realized before too long that I had no desire to even be there – and I doubt having communication with you would have changed that. Studying in France was an old dream; it wasn't offering me what I wanted anymore because, well…I've found what I've always wanted right here." She looked down at their hands, their fingers loosely intertwined as if they belonged nowhere else.

Jane had trouble breathing for a moment; too nervous to address Maura's confession, she spit out the next question that came to mind. "So how'd you convince you mom to let you leave France?"

"That was quite difficult to achieve, and I am not entirely proud of the methods I used, but they were necessary," Maura spoke, trailing her thumb along the edge of Jane's palm, which of course had Jane fighting to keep her attention on Maura's answer. "I knew asking my mother if I could leave would prove to be futile, so I had to resort to drastic measures. After over a week of refusing to hand in assignments or contribute in class, I was told I was no longer fit to be a student there. My mother, of course, was not pleased in the least, but the trip home gave us time to talk reasonably, and she's already been much more understanding. She dropped me off here this morning, in fact, when I made it clear that waiting through the entire school day to contact you would have been unbearable."

As Maura rambled, Jane found a goofy grin creeping onto her face, only one part of her drawn out explanation. "You got expelled for me?"

"Well, it was _hardly _just for you," Maura defended, though her smile soon matched Jane's. "There were other factors I considered as well, and—" she stopped short as she felt Jane's fingers dance across the back of her palm. "Fine, it was mostly for you," she confessed, stepping closer. The distance between them was nearly nonexistent as this point, and they were standing much too close for a comfortable conversing distance, though both of them kept their feet firmly planted in their designated places. "And, well…" Maura paused, in a rare moment fumbling for her words, her cheeks inflaming with color. "I figured that I owed you your first proper kiss. I'm not quite sure our other one really counted, and I became most worried that if my absence became too extended, someone else might beat me to it."

Their next motions were natural, though each girl was trembling with bated anticipation as their movements feel into place. Maura brought her hand up to Jane's cheek, stroking the skin softly with her thumb as he eyes locked with Jane's, which were filled with adoration and yearning, and perhaps a small hint of fear. Jane automatically brought her hands to Maura's waist, fitting them lightly around her hips.

Maura tilted her head, leading the kiss, as it was hers to give. She closed her eyes as her lips made contact with Jane's, feeling Jane's shallow breath wash across her face. She fit Jane's lower lip between hers, sucking gently, almost coming undone with the sheer intensity of the simple, yet intimate contact. Kissing had never felt so _right _before. Not wanting to push too far on what was technically Jane's first kiss, Maura pulled away a few moments later, searching for Jane's eyes.

"That was…" Jane breathed heavily, her heart pounding more erratically than if she had just run a mile.

"Mhm," Maura muttered, in no state to be loquacious, agreeing with Jane's breathy assessment.

"Can we do it again?" Jane's skin turned a hue darker, her eyes yearning with want as she dipped her head closer to Maura's again.

Maura didn't need to be told twice, finding Jane's lips more eagerly this time. Jane moaned softly, becoming lost as her hesitancy faded, too consumed to worry if her amateur kissing skills were adequate enough to keep up with Maura's experience. Kissing her best friend was less frightening and less guilt-inducing than Jane had imagined. Their relationship had taken a natural turn, and Jane felt a ripple of relief pulse through her body as she realized the agonizing tension and uncertainty wouldn't be there to taunt her any longer. Of course, there were other concerns that needed thought and consideration as the two ventured into uncharted territory, but they were only an afterthought for now as Jane savored this blissful moment.

The two jumped as the end of the period bell blared loudly, reverberating off the lockers, letting out a collective breath as they realized there were no girls in the class period. They had a moment to collect themselves before the girls from the next PE session would arrive, though Jane was quite certain she did not want to be here when they did.

"Come on, let's get out of here." Jane nodded toward the exit in the back of the locker room, fitting Maura's hand in her grasp as she guided her toward the door.

"Shouldn't you go to your next class?" Maura inquired, though she made no effort to remove her hand from Jane's nor halt their advance to the door.

"This is coming from the girl who purposely failed all her classes," Jane laughed, knowing that this was going to be an easy topic to bring up in good humor much more than Maura would have appreciated.

"At least I attended them all," Maura raised an eyebrow, playing into Jane's humor much to her surprise.

"Okay, if you really want me to leave you then..." Jane threatened, beginning to tug her hand away from Maura's.

Maura latched onto Jane's hand a bit tighter, her silent protest all the confirmation that Jane need. "That's what I thought. And don't you worry too much about me missing class - I'm pretty sure I'm guaranteed a 4.0 at this point, with the way the teachers are tiptoeing around me as if I'm likely to explode, so I doubt attendance even matters at this point."

Jane pushed open the door, stepping out into the sunny autumn morning. She shivered slightly, the brightness of the sun quite misleading, and her long sleeved t-shirt hardly offered her any protection.

"Should we go back to get your coat?" Maura's eyebrows knitted in immediate concern.

"Nah, I'll be fine. Besides, I have you to keep me warm," she winked, snuggling up closer to Maura.

"I'm not hurting your hand, am I?" Maura could feel the unevenness of Jane's scars pressing up against her own palm.

"You're fine," Jane assured her, giving Maura's hand a gentle squeeze. Though it was still tender, the warmth and security she felt with Maura's hand nestled in hers far outweighed the minimal pain.

"So were are you taking us, Miss Rizzoli?" Maura spoke lightly, though her words did pose a legitimate concern.

"We could go anywhere - we have the world at our finger tips. Well, all of Boston at least," Jane said with a flourish of her free arm, motioning toward the looming city.

Perhaps a few months ago they would have seized the moment, basking in their uninhibited freedom they had bought themselves, but the girls held a mutual hesitancy at the idea of adventure. It was Maura who reined them back to reality. "My mother gave me money to take a taxi home. And she wants me to call her when I've returned safely," she spoke, and then added, "Though there's plenty of space in a cab for two. You are most welcome to join me."

"Don't mind if I will," Jane smiled, immediately embracing the idea, an image of the two making out on Maura's bed assaulting her as she thought about it some more. She felt her knees grow a little weak.

"You don't think your mother will mind, do you?" Maura brought up the topic Jane had been conveniently ignoring. "You should call her as well when we arrive at my house." Maura's mother had not yet replaced her broken cell phone, leaving the two without an accessible form of communication at hand.

"Ugh, do we have to bring my mother into this?" Jane sighed in an overdramatic manner.

"If you believe she'll be upset at the prospect of you missing more school, perhaps you'd better wait until to end of the day to come over," Maura spoke regrettably, looking down at their still intertwined hands.

"Fine, I'll call her," Jane huffed. "She'll probably be more than happy, actually. I'm pretty sure she values my happiness over my education, and being with you has me smiling for the first time in weeks."

Maura frowned. "I'm sorry if my absence was hard on you." They walked to the end of the block, waiting at the curb so they could hail a cab.

"I'm just glad you're back," Jane murmured as they waited for a taxi to pass.

"Did you really ever doubt I would return?" Maura let her head fall against Jane's shoulder.

"No," Jane answered, her lips brushing Maura's hair. "But I thought it might take a while. I was ready to wait, though. You are happy to be back though, right?" Jane knew the answer, but she couldn't help but to worry she had forced Maura to pluck herself prematurely away from a brighter future.

Maura lifted her head, pressing her lips against the edge of Jane's jaw before lightly brushing them against Jane's mouth. She felt Jane smile, and she let her lips linger for a moment, giving Jane all the confirmation she needed.

* * *

_A/N: Thank you so much for reading and sticking with me even though I update like a turtle ;) I'm far from done with the Rizzles fandom, so look out for more fics in the near future. I'm also always open to prompts and suggestions, so feel free to message me here or on tumblr if ever feel so inclined. It's been fun writing for you guys, and thanks again for all your support :)_


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